India, Nov. 1 -- There is something utterly comforting about a Test series that refuses to be hurried. In a world increasingly conditioned to expect 200 in 20 overs, where entertainment is often measured in strike rates and the length of sixes, Australia and South Africa offered a reprieve, a beautiful reminder of what cricket can still provide.

It took 15 days, three Tests, two extraordinary reversals and a final act of disintegration for South Africa to earn their rite of passage as the undisputed top Test side.

Which no one could have anticipated after the first game. South Africa were beaten, soundly, in the opening Test in Durban. Their batting had looked vulnerable, their resistance insufficient and their opponents comfortably sup...