Brilliant Dravid is the star of India

14 April 2012

Rahul Dravid hit the winning runs and danced for joy as India completed a remarkable comeback by beating the world champions by four wickets today to claim their first victory in Australia for 22 years.

Set 230 to win in the Second Test, the Indians reached their target after tea on the final day at Adelaide Oval as vice-captain Dravid, following up his first innings 233 with an unbeaten 72, cut spinner Stuart MacGill to square.

The tourists resumed this morning on 37 without loss and the result was never really in doubt as the top order all chipped away at the target.

"There's no reason why we can't do it again if we play like that," said India captain Saurav Ganguly. India have only won three previous Tests in Australia and have never landed a series there despite seven attempts.

Ganguly was full of praise for Dravid afterwards and said: "He batted like God here once again, so I'm not surprised the way he's played. I've always said he was one of the greats."

Dravid said: "This would definitely have to be my best Test performance, no doubt about it.

"Maybe when I've finished playing, and I have a chance to sit back, this victory will mean a lot. Australia will come back fighting but we will take confidence from this."

Openers Akash Chopra (20) and Virender Sehwag (47) gave India a strong platform to work off, then Sachin Tendulkar (37), Ganguly (12) and VVS Laxman all combined to steer them towards victory.

India had won just six of their last 69 Tests away from home and they had not won a game in Australia since 1980-81.

Their hopes of ending their drought in Adelaide and going 1-0 up in the four-match series appeared to have ended when Australia finished with a massive first innings total of 556 and India slumped to 85 for four in reply.

But Dravid and Laxman, whose 376-run partnership at Eden Gardens two years ago broke Australianhearts and set up a 2-1 series win, starred again.

They put on 303 for the fifth wicket with Laxman making 148 to help India post a first innings total of 523, just 33 runs behind.

From a seemingly hopeless position, India were suddenly chasing a relatively small target after Australia folded for 196 in their second innings, with Ajit Agarkar snatching career-best figures of six for 41.

Australia, without frontline bowlers Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Brett Lee, suffered another setback before lunch today when paceman Jason Gillespie left the field with a groin injury. Gillespie gave Australia a good start when he trapped Chopra leg before with the total on 48 but limped off soon after.

Leg-spinner MacGill kept Australia in the game when he had Sehwag stumped before lunch, then Tendulkar went lbw before tea without offering a shot. Simon Katich held a sharp catch at gully to get rid of Ganguly and paceman Andy Bichel dismissed Laxman and wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel after tea.

The West Indies, meanwhile, were heading for defeat on the final day of the First Test against South Africa in Johannesburg today. The visitors are 43 for five in their second innings chasing 378 for victory.

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Brilliant Dravid is the star of India

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