Debutant Chateshwar Pujara sparkling run-a-ball knock of 72 runs and calm and compose unbeaten half-century from little master Sachin Tendulkar helped India to chase down the target of 207 runs with ease and clinch the series by 2-0 to not only win the series but also strengthen their position as number one ranked test team in the world. After the loss Australia slipped from fourth position to fifth just behind England in the ICC Test ranking and India gained another three points to move there tally to 130 points, 11 points ahead of South Africa which is at number two position. This was India first win after 15 years in Bengaluru for the Indians. Chasing the target of 207 runs for victory, India loss Sehwag (7 runs) early but M.Vijay (37 runs) and C.Pujara (72 runs) put on a brisk 72 runs for the second wicket to laid the foundation for the Indians. Debutante Pujara, who was included in the lineup in place of the injured VVS Laxman, showed great poise and maturity at the No. 3 spot as he and Vijay matched stroke for stroke to send the Aussies on a leather hunt. Just after lunch India loss M.Vijay, but Pujara continue the good show with the bat to involve himself in another crucial partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. When it looked that the domestic circuit run-machine Pujara will score his maiden test ton, he got bowled by N.Haurtiz. India were then just 61 runs away and Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid (21 runs) made it look so easy from there. Earlier, Indian bowler bowled superb line in the morning to dismiss Australia for just 223 runs. Zaheer Khan made early in-roads by dismissing M.Johnson with the beauty of delivery that came back sharply to clean-bowled Johnson. In the very next over S.Sreesanth bowled B.Hilfenhaus to give Australia second blow of the morning. Few overs later Zaheer Khan got some bounce from the pitch to dismiss Peter George caught by Indian Captain M.S.Dhoni to give him 150th dismissal in test cricket. The morning spell of both Zaheer and Sreesanth looked impeccable. Zaheer Khan had a spell of 5.2-1-9-2, while Sreesanth 5-1-8-1. Australia's issues are not so pleasant. Apart from losing all the Tests in a series for the first time in nearly 30 years, they will now enter the Ashes on the back of three consecutive defeats Sachin Tendulkar was declared Player of The series for scoring most number of runs (403 runs) in two match series. Sachin Tendulkar was also declared Player of The Match for scoring double century and half-century in the 2nd test match at Bengaluru. Match Summary (India Won by 7 Wickets) Australia 1st Inning– 478/10 in 141 Overs M.North- 128 T.Paine– 59 H.Singh– 43-3-148-4 P.Ojha- 42-7-120-3 India 1st Inning– 495/10 in 144.5 Overs S.Tendulkar- 214 M.Vijay– 139 M.Johnson– 28-2-105-3 P.George- 21-3-48-2 Australia 2nd Inning– 223/10 in 75.2 Overs R.Ponting- 72 S.Watson– 32 Z.Khan– 11.2-1-41-3 P.Ojha- 25-5-57-3 India 2nd Inning– 207/3 in 45 Overs C.Pujara- 72 S.Tendulkar– 53* S.Watson– 5-0-20-1 B.Hilfenhaus- 7-0-27-1 |
