When India arrived in Australia three years ago, they came with some of the best batsmen to ever represent the nation.

Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag – stylistically very different but undoubtedly all incredible talents.

It was a star-studded batting order known well to Australian fans, but one that fell horribly flat.

From the Boxing Day Test onwards, it became clear all four were well past their best.

Australia went on to win the series 4-0.

India’s only century came in the final Test – from a 23-year-old Virat Kohli playing his eighth Test.

Dravid retired two months later, Laxman went later in the year and Tendulkar the following year.

This time around, Kohli has already posted two tons and his support acts are either in form or fast finding it.

The addition of MS Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin to the XI makes their batting order even stronger.

But it’s those Indians on their maiden Australian tour that have already gone a long way to cementing reputations.

Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane had all never played a Test here prior to Adelaide Oval.

They were part of a team still trying to prove they could fire in foreign conditions – having finished a five-Test series in England earlier this year with three heavy losses.

Already, they have arguably outperformed their predecessors in 2011-12 and underlined why this series shapes as a far more even contest compared to what most expected.

Vijay scored 53 and 99 in the first Test then backed it up with an outstanding century in Brisbane.

It was the quintessential Gabba day-one innings – dicey early, dogged in the middle session and dominant after tea.

Opening partner Dhawan is yet to turn starts into scores on this tour, but Australia know well what it’s like when he does.

Dhawan dismantled Australia’s attack on Test debut last year, lashing 187 runs off 174 balls in Mohali.

Rahane has proven a nervy starter, but classy once he settles.

Pujara scored 73 in Adelaide and will continue to put a high price on his wicket.

Many Australian fans won’t know their names well, but by the end of the series that’s likely to change.

INDIA’S BATTING AGAINST AUSTRALIA IN 2011-12 TEST SERIES:

*Kohli: 300 runs from 8 innings at 37.50

*Tendulkar: 287 runs from 8 innings at 35.87

*Sehwag: 198 runs from 8 innings at 24.75

*Dravid: 194 runs from 8 innings at 24.25

*Laxman: 155 runs from 8 innings at 19.37.