Debutant Cheteshwar Pujara proved an unlikely hero as India thrashed Australia by seven wickets in the second and final Test yesterday to sweep the series 2-0.
Pujara hit a fluent 72 as the hosts, set 207 runs to win on a wearing wicket, cruised home soon after tea on the fifth and final day at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
Veteran Sachin Tendulkar, who hit a double-century in the first innings, remained unbeaten on 53 as India enhanced their reputation as the world’s No. 1 Test side.
PHOTO: AFP
Ricky Ponting’s Australia, preparing for next month’s start of the Ashes series at home against England, slipped to fifth place behind India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and England.
India followed their dramatic one-wicket win in the first Test in Mohali last week to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in front of about 20,000 jubilant home fans.
Tendulkar stamped India’s superiority by smashing off-spinner Nathan Hauritz for two consecutive sixes just before the tea interval.
The world batting record holder was named both man of the match and player of the series for notching up 403 runs in four innings at an average of 134.33.
“I don’t count. Let the others count. I just want to continue scoring,” Tendulkar, 37, said when asked about his awesome record this year in which he has already hit six centuries. “This series was a fantastic one for the entire team. Pujara showed tremendous character and his partnership with Murali Vijay was very crucial one.”
Pujara and Vijay put on 72 for the second wicket to revive India after the accomplished Virender Sehwag was dismissed in the third over for 7.
Sehwag edged Ben Hilfenhaus to wicketkeeper Tim Paine, one delivery after hitting a four to the point boundary.
Pujara, who was promoted to No. 3 in place of Rahul Dravid, then added 57 for the third wicket with Tendulkar, before he was bowled by Hauritz.
The 22-year-old, awarded a Test cap only because Venkatsai Laxman was injured, hit seven boundaries during his two-hour stint at the crease.
A disappointed Ponting admitted his team were outplayed by the hosts.
“We have played reasonably good Test cricket in the series, but we were outplayed,” the Australia captain said.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also paid tribute to the large number of fans who turned up for the match on all five days, but Dhoni rued his bad luck with the toss, which he has lost nine times in succession in Test matches.
“As a captain I keep losing tosses, which means the bowlers have to come in and bowl on flat tracks, but they have bowled really well,” he said.
Australia, starting the day with a lead of 185 runs with three wickets in hand, were earlier all out for 223 in their second innings an hour into the morning session.
Zaheer Khan and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha finished with three wickets each, while Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed two each.
India and Australia will now play a three-match one-day series starting in Kochi on Sunday.
SPOT-FIXING SCANDAL
AFP, LONDON
The International Cricket Council (ICC) ruled yesterday there was no evidence of corruption in the third one-day international between Pakistan and England last month.
A statement from the ICC concluded there was “no compelling evidence to suspect individual players or support staff” following an investigation into scoring patterns of the match at The Oval in London on Sept. 17.
“The investigation is now complete, but if new and corroborating evidence comes to light then clearly the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit will reopen the matter,” the statement said.
The investigation was separate from allegations of corruption leveled against Pakistan during the scandal-tainted Test series with England, which led to three players being suspended indefinitely.
The ICC last month announced it was probing an investigation into a “certain scoring pattern” that emerged during Pakistan’s win over England at The Oval, later confirming England’s players were not involved in the probe.
It followed a report by the Sun newspaper, which claimed to have been made aware of details of Pakistan’s innings before the match had got under way.
The paper tipped off cricket authorities, who then watched as the scoring patterns in two suspect overs emerged as predicted, the Sun report said.
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