Australia has five Cricket World Cups in the locker. They know what it takes to win major ICC tournaments, having also pocketed the World Test Championship and a handy $1.6 million in June against India. The Ashes were also retained in July. It’s been a busy and taxing year. Is that why a nation known for its hard exterior was as soft as a peach on Thursday? They simply never got out of warm-up mode against South Africa in Lucknow.

“The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter—often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter—in the eye,” wrote Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre. Like Rochester in the novel, Australia appeared dark and moody. It was obvious to the neutral observer that the Baggy Greens were vacant, a non-entity, physically present but without their game faces. The first XI was a pick-and-mix of players that were untrained for a disciplined Proteas unit.

Australia is unsure of itself. They threw Alex Carey under the bus after a two-ball duck against India and replaced him with the happy-go-lucky backstop Josh Inglis. Was it an upgrade? Carey is averaging 17 since stumping Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s and being reminded by Stuart Broad that’s all he will be remembered for. Inglis averages just over 16 in ODIs. He dropped a catch, smiled a lot, and was bowled for 5.

The lethargy and lack of focus started in the field when Adam Zampa failed to move towards a skier at deep third man in the tenth over. When he did eventually launch himself at the ball, it was an afterthought. There was never an expectation that a very takeable catch was even in his vicinity. Statistically, it didn’t go down as a drop, but everybody watching knew that this was fielding inertia of the highest order.

There were 175 dot balls of going nowhere in Chennai. Australia didn’t even make 200. In Lucknow, the Baggy Greens’ chase of 311 started with 31 dots in the first seven overs as they crawled to 27 for 2. David Warner was completely shotless against the brilliant Lungi Ngidi. The initial powerplay has been a cage of caution for Pat Cummins’ team so far. If there was a plan, it was to make things up as they went along. There was no connection between batting partners, just a procession of dismissals. Even the third umpire didn’t help Australia out. It was like hand-off-the bat 2005 Ashes vibes all over again (without the close finish).

The case for the defense is that Australia has been uncertain of their hand going into the tournament. Travis Head’s fractured digits did not help, but their last-minute inclusion of Marnus Labuschagne was all a bit panicky. There was no second specialist spinner—a worry, as Zampa looks like he could with a mate after bowling 18 overs for 123.

Those five dropped catches, though, summed it up. Two of them happened in a barely credible penultimate over where safe hands Mitchell Starc spilled a David Miller skier, and then Marcus Stoinis crumpled after coughing up a very gentle steepler at cover. It was village cricket third XI stuff.

Cummins made some noises about how the group was hurting. Most of them were resigned to their fates. That’s never been an Australian trait. The skipper had the look of a man who has taken his team around the world in (1)80 days and wants a rest. Don’t worry, Pat. There are only seven more matches left. They might be going home early if they don't win at least six.

It could be a perfect time for a reset in a squad that is full of individuals eyeing up their futures. Warner’s international swansong is just months away. Labuschagne must have felt like the great unloved when he got the nod above Ashton Agar. Glenn Maxwell has gone from being 'The Big Show' to the small cameo, with a top score of 33 and nine wickets from his last 13 ODIs. Stoinis hasn’t reached 50 in the format for four and a half years.

It’s a tired team, uninspired, and insipid at the start of a long tournament. Flying out of the blocks? Australia has crawled out of a box. In some ways, they are the victims of a schedule that never stops. They need to restart the train before it's too late.