India, June 18 -- Their outlook to Test cricket having changed irrevocably following their spectacular come-from-behind 2-1 victory at home against Australia in March 2001, India embarked on a journey of fulfillment subsequently. A few months after sewing up the series triumph in Chennai, India scored their first win in Zimbabwe against a formidable home side and then hunted down 264 in Kandy for the loss of only three wickets even though they played the entire Test series against Sri Lanka without Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman.

Expectations were, therefore, high when Sourav Ganguly, who had forged his team into a unit that fought fire with fire and wasn't shy of lighting a few fires of its own, led his boys out to England in the summe...