I think bringing up this "inability" thing is a bit unfair, the wicket was moist and england, australia and south africa themselves have all had difficulties in the first innings in south africa.
no one brings up australia's "inability" to play the moving ball when south africa skittled them for 209 and then put on 650 at newlands. Or Englands when steyn and morkel put them out for 180 at the wanderers.
sure if india continue to fall apart for tiny scores throughout the series then yeah, there's a problem, but being put out for such a low score is not exactly a freakish thing for any team. It will never happen to south africa this series because there is a massive gulf in class between their pace attack and india's, but the saffers have fallen apart themselves quite a few times in the 1st innings of tests when against teams with decent pace attacks in the right conditions.
Exactly. People only pay attention when India get bowled out for a low total on a seamer friendly track without realizing that most sides are not comfortable on the moist seaming conditions. I`ll give a few examples of how sides have folded up cheaply even against Indian attacks which you call is mediocre. Perth 2008 where Australia struggled to get to 200 in the first innings and that was`nt even a green seamer. Remember, that was before the Aussie slump and they had the likes of Lee and Gilly still around those days.
Sydney, 2008. Before the unpleasant incidents on the last 2 days of the test, people tend to forget that Australia were 100/6 on day 1 and would have been in further trouble had it not been for those howlers in the first innings. It was by no means a green seamer and India piled up 500+ in their first innings.
Jo`burg 2006. SA got bundled out for 84 in the first innings against Sree and Zaheer. In fact, the Indian seamers troubled the SA batting right through the series and even managed to get a 50 run lead at Cape Town, only to waste it eventually.
Trent Bridge, 2007. Delayed start on Day 1 due to moist conditions and England got bowled out for 150-ish score against Zaheer, RP and Sree.
Even in India, sides have struggled against the reverse swinging ball. Noone has ever brought the inability of lack of skill point against other sides whereas with India playing their first innings in SA, without a warm up and struggling to cope on Day 1 of a moist track has attracted too much attention. I don`t think it was fair on the Indian side.