We've not seen as much of the South Africa-India series as we would have liked - the small matter of the Ashes has put paid to that for this success-starved England fan.
But what we have seen has been utterly engrossing, even if the battle for supremacy between the top two sides in the world really should be a five rather than three test series.
India's fightback from the walloping they took at Centurion has been mightily impressive and saved the BCCI from some embarrassment. How they believed that the side could turn up for their first venture outside the subcontinent for 18 months to play the second best side in the world with their previous poor record in South Africa was beyond belief.
But there is resilience as well as quality in this Indian side, helped in no small part by some of itstop-class players. On a minefield in Durban, VVS Laxman once again showed he is the master of the second innings with a brilliant 96 and Zaheer Khan returned to add canninessto the bowling attack and coaxed much improved performances from Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma.
However, the best aspect of this series has been watching three absolute masters of their craft go about their business. No more so than in the current series decider at Cape Town. Sachin Tendulkarenjoyed an Annus Mirabilis in 2010 and it looks like extending into 2011 if his magnificent 146 here is anything to go by.
India faced a real challenge in replying to South Africa's 362, but Tendulkar played an absolute gem of an innings especially because he had to contend with more out-of-this-world bowling from Dale Steyn.
In his last Test at Newlands, Steyn bowled an outstanding spell of bowling to Paul Collingwood with the new ball, but somehow failed to get the wicket that probably would have led to victory for South Africa. He has been similarly brilliant against India with new and old ball and showed just why he is far and away the best fast bowler in the world. Indeed, Steyn is so good that he has the best strike rate of any bowler in history to have taken more than 100 test wickets - withthe exception of George Lohmann, who played at a time when bowlers held sway just as much as batsmen do today.
But Tendulkar's mastery in handling Steyn helped India eke out a two-run first-innings lead and when South Africa slipped to 130/6, India looked like they would record a series win in South Africa for the first time. Step forward Jacques Kallis. Not content with scoring his first double hundred in Tests at Centurion, or 161 in the 1st innings here, Kallis played an innings equally as brilliant as Tendulkar in marshalling a rearguard from the tail and in the process recording his 40th Test hundred.
South Africa now look the side most likely to win a pulsating match and the series, although the draw is most likely as Steyn has not been well supported by his bowling colleagues. But whateverthe outcome, watching Kallis, Steyn and Tendulkar at work in this test match has been like having Beethoven, Mozart and Bach all gathered in your living room for a one-off exclusive concert. Let the music play.
Where next?
Dale Steyn: irrefutably the best bowler in the world
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