India, Nov. 28 -- South Africa's thumping 2-0 series win over India-capped by a staggering 408-run victory in the second Test-will be remembered not just for the clinical cricket on display, but for the psychological current running beneath it. The allegedly muttered "bauna" (midget) remark directed at a South African player became the spark that shifted the emotional temperature of the series. The moment the slur surfaced, the cricket changed. South Africa played with the singular focus of a team fuelled by disrespect-and determined to answer it where it matters most: On the field. The decisiveness of their win reflected that deeper motivation.

Cricket has always been a sport of skill, temperament, and strategy. But it is also a sport o...