At the end of a series with the Aussies, their opponents are usually grumpy, fed up of the sledging and the aggressiveness that has long identified modern day Australian cricket.
Perhaps because many of the Indians and Aussies are or have been members of IPL teams, the 2023 Border-Gavaskar series was played in unusually good humour.
When the final Test at the Narendra Modi stadium ended in a draw on Monday evening, there was bon homie, with gifts like cricket bats and jerseys being passed around.
Take a look at these pictures and you'll know what we mean:
IMAGE: Steve Smith and Virat Kohli -- who have had a difficult relationship in the past; remember this? -- shake hands after the four Test series ended. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
IMAGE: Shubman Gill -- who first came to the cricket world's attention with his 91 at the Gabba and Smith shake hands.
The 23 year old and England's Harry Brook are the heir apparents to the four greatest batsmen of their generation -- India's Kohli, Australia's Smith, England's Joe Root and New Zealand's Kane Williamson. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
The 23 year old and England's Harry Brook are the heir apparents to the four greatest batsmen of their generation -- India's Kohli, Australia's Smith, England's Joe Root and New Zealand's Kane Williamson. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
IMAGE: Smith, Australia's stand-in captain for the third and fourth Tests, gives his rival skipper Rohit Sharma a hug. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
IMAGE: What a delightful picture of Smith grinning at something Kohli said.
Cheteshwar Pujara is not the quipping type, except maybe to his buddy Ravichandran Ashwin. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Cheteshwar Pujara is not the quipping type, except maybe to his buddy Ravichandran Ashwin. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
IMAGE: Todd Murphy congratulates Kohli on his magnificent century after taking his wicket. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters
IMAGE: Kohli and Nathan Lyon have a chat during the course of the game. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Photographs curated by Anant Salvi/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
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