The 48-run victory simply was uplifting. It was the result the Australian cricketers so craved and the result the game needed after the death of batsman Phillip Hughes on November 27.

For five days, Australian players had willed themselves to perform at the highest level despite still struggling to come to terms with Hughes’ death. First David Warner focused his mind on the job by making an emotional century. Then captain Michael Clarke and Steve Smith, who both also made tons, and off-spinner Nathan Lyon with five wickets in the first innings. 

Warner made another century and Smith was again pivotal with the bat.

For all the passion and mental heroics, the Indian team was just as committed. 

Its stand-in skipper Virat Kohli produced one of the game’s finest individual efforts by making inspirational centuries in both innings. His 141 on Saturday threatened to steal the game away from the Aussies.

But somehow the Australians summoned the great fighting spirit that we love to be defined by and stormed to victory. 

The unbridled joy of the Australians after Nathan Lyon claimed his 12th and last wicket of a gripping match made the hair stand up on the back of the neck.

Images of Lyon crouched down patting a piece of the Adelaide Oval turf which had 408 emblazoned on it in reference to Hughes’ Test number brought tears to the eyes.

It was a fitting result. But what was more important was the humility and respect shown by both teams. 

A day after tensions flared on the ground, both captains paid tribute to the other teams’ fighting spirit. Kohli’s performance was admired by the Aussies and he praised the Australians for simply turning up just days after farewelling Hughes, let alone play the way they did in taking eight wickets in little over 90 minutes.

It was, after all, just a cricket match. 

But there are lessons we can all learn from the onfield performances, none more obvious and poignant than no matter how bad a situation seems, we should never concede defeat.