For the first time in 28 years, England has managed to win a Test cricket series in India, a task that has eluded many great sides over the years, and which nobody gave this one a prayer of doing when they started the four-match series six weeks ago. When England lost the first Test match by a country mile in Ahmedabad, it seemed as though any hopes England might have of winning were ended. But England came back, won the next two games, and then managed to hold on for a monumentally boring draw, to win 2–1.

It’s hard to underestimate the turnaround in England’s fortunes since being whipped by Pakistan in January/February, and dismantled by South Africa in the Summer. Coming into the series, there was meant to be dissension in the team and the Indians were ready to return the favor having been thrashed 4–0 by England in 2010. That this didn’t happen has everything to do with England’s phlegmatic captain, Alastair Cook, and his expert marshalling of his bowlers, and the aging of India’s superstars. We’ll no doubt have more to say about the latter as the consequences of this humiliation for India shake out. But, right now, England are ending the year with a bang and not the whimper that was once feared.