The post-match photograph said it all: the general and his deputy stood savouring India's triumph at Kandy. Their shoulders locked, Sourav Ganguly's right fist clenched, Rahul Dravid's left thumb up, their smiles resplendent, eyes lit, it was a pose making a statement. Raj Singh Dungarpur please note: Ganguly and Dravid are happy musketeers, one for both, both for one. The tale of Dungarpur's foray into the Indian dressing-room in Sri Lanka bears no repetition. From eye-witness accounts, Dravid was appalled at Dungarpur's suggestion, which was an undisguised threat to Ganguly, that he be ready to assume the captaincy for the upcoming tour of South Africa. Dungarpur has played a few false strokes in his long and often distinguished association with Indian cricket, but none as ill-advised and unbecoming as this one.

Fortunately for Indian cricket Ganguly and Dravid are good mates. They made their Test debuts together at Lord's in 1996: Ganguly scored a century and Dravid fell five short, and their careers have run parallel ever since. Dravid has done better as a Test batsman, while Ganguly has been a matchwinner in one-day cricket.

That they share a special bond is obvious to anyone watching them. After Harbhajan Singh hit those winning runs against Australia at Chennai, Ganguly sought out Dravid for a victory embrace. It was an instinctive reaction, and an eloquent one. They share and savour each other's success. And as captain and vice-captain, they are perfect foils.

Ganguly is passionate, feisty and combative. As captain, he is intuitive, aggressive and forever ready to stand up for his men. However, his brittle temperament has been his biggest enemy, and he has two suspensions to show for it. Dravid is stoic, cool, unflappable and a keen student of the game. A man who can be counted on in a crisis. Whenever Ganguly's nerves threaten to get the better of him, Dravid is at hand to lend calm and poise.

However, it wasn't their leadership abilities but their batting that was under pressure when India went into the Kandy Test. Normally, you wouldn't argue with batting averages of 54 and 42. But the ultimate test of a batsman's character comes when facing fire. The ability to deliver when it really counts separates the truly great from the good. For my money, Steve Waugh stands in a place of his very own in this department.

For all their artistry and dazzle, Indian batsmen have repeatedly failed this test, and it shows in India's fourth-innings batting record. Not since 1976 has an Indian team successfully chased a total over 200, and Dravid and Ganguly hadn't exactly distinguished themselves in the few opportunities they had had to set that record straight.

In Dravid's case, the sequence was particularly galling. He has scored runs against all countries and in all conditions. But in matches lost by India he averages 29.12, against his career average of 54.52. Worse, he has actually batted quite well in most of those gut-wrenching matches India lost from winning positions - but in the first innings. There was 78 in the first against West Indies at Bridgetown in 1995-96 - but 2 in the second as India, chasing 121, crashed to 80 all out. And 118 against Zimbabwe at Harare in 1998-99, followed by 7 as India chased 234 (173 all out). And 53 in the first against Pakistan at Chennai in 1999-2000, but 10 in the second with India chasing 270(258 all out). A month later, Dravid failed in both innings of the first Test of the Asian Test Championship against Pakistan at Calcutta as India, chasing 278, crashed from 133 for 1 to 232 all out. And in June this year he scored 56 against Zimbabwe in the first innings, but succumbed to the last ball of the third day for 26 - and Zimbabwe went on win that match and square the series.

For a batsman of unquestionable pedigree, this betrayed a serious frailty in temperament.

Ganguly's situation was far more serious. He had scored only two fifties in 19 months, neither of them this year. He was averaging 20.9 in his last 12 Tests, and only 12 this year. Although he had won five of his nine Tests as captain, he had been vilified like no other Indian cricketer in recent history. He went into the Kandy Test with not only his job on the line but his place in the side as well.

The victory at Kandy, even though it was achieved against a not-too-formidable Sri Lankan attack, was as significant for Indian cricket as the win against Australia at Calcutta. It exorcised a voodoo that has haunted our cricketers since 1976. And for Ganguly and Dravid, it was a moment of private and personal triumph.

But not so private that it didn't call for public celebration. Now look at the photograph again. It's more profound than it seems.

Sambit Bal is the editor of Wisden Online India.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd