Before the start of this Test series, the hype machine gave the impressionthat Muralitharan v Harbhajan would be a fight straight out of the Ali-Frazier catalogue. In practice, it quickly deteriorated into Ali-Liston II: the contest that never was.

Five months ago, Harbhajan left the great Shane Warne red-faced. The 32 victims he scalped against a less than twinkletoed Australian side made Warne's below-par display look far worse than it was. Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist played Harbhajan as if he was sending down grenades with the pins pulled out. His heroics against the best – in front of an adoring home audience that lapped it up – made him a marked man. Suddenly the papers, tabloids and broadsheets alike, were churning out ream after ream, and freely comparing him to Murali and Saqlain.

This series has given Indian cricket fans a more balanced perspective. There is no doubt that Harbhajan is a bowler of some quality, someone who can lead the spin attack for years to come. But comparisons to Murali are nothing short of sacrilege. There are offspinners and then there's Murali, as the Indians learned the hard way throughout this series. For aspiring offspinners, Murali is Sirius - the brightest star of all.

One statistic is enough to highlight his overwhelming superiority. He took 23 wickets in the series, while Harbhajan had four. If it had been a Grand Prix, Harbhajan would have been lapped several times. Not that this should be taken as a criticism. There are few who are capable of even trailing in Murali's slipstream, Saqlain included. Hopefully, this harsh lesson will stand Harbhajan in good stead in future.

There is no better education than watching the best in the business. Murali was only conquered once, when Sourav Ganguly's gritty unbeaten 98 at Kandy led his team to an improbable victory. That magnificent run-chase in the hills was the only highlight of India's Test adventure. Galle and Colombo were embarrassing and one-sided defeats in which a depleted India was no match for a more skilful and motivated Sri Lankan team. Sri Lanka came good when they needed to. A first home series win in two seasons is cause enough for celebration.

India can do without much criticism when they arrive home. In the absence of Tendulkar and Laxman, a 2-1 defeat shouldn't be seen as a catastrophe. What was depressing was the inability of the second string – Kaif, Badani and Harvinder – to make any sort of impact on the proceedings. The tour should be regarded as a half-full tankard of beer. Crucially though, the foaming head was missing. Without the sparkling strokeplay of Tendulkar and Laxman, it was all a little flat.

India face South Africa in a month's time. If Tendulkar, Laxman, Kumble and Nehra all make it to the Southern Cape, they will be a far tougher proposition, even if the bounce doesn't suit them. The tankard is far from empty; it's just that the hops were left at home this time. And the flame of victory is easiest lit from the embers of defeat.   Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com in India. Muralitharan player profile

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