The Indian team went to Pakistan with reluctance and apprehensions, but returned having scripted a glorious chapter.
As Pakistan's last man Danish Kaneria fell, Sourav Ganguly and the boys had gone into a historic huddle. A Test series win on Pakistani soil had come after half a century of trying. The entire nation rejoiced.
In the near seven-decade history of Indian cricket, the triumph in Pakistan ranks right up with India's series victory in West Indies in 1971 and the 1983 World Cup win.
Given the strengths of the two teams, it was not a huge surprise that India won. Still, what was heartening was the manner of the team's win and the way it handled the pressure of immense expectations.
The most pertinent feature that summed up the team's performance in Pakistan was professionalism. A term hardly understood and used rather loosely.
The seeds of professionalism had been sown in the team by coach John Wright, playing a phenomenal role in helping the side acquire the cutting edge, three years ago. And it bore fruits in Pakistan.