Testmatch won by India

Gavaskar Boarder Cup won by India

India registered a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Australia shortly after tea on the fifth and final day of the second Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bangalore, on Wednesday.

The victory helped the hosts pocket the series 2-0 and consolidate their top spot in the rankings.

India had already retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by virtue of their victory in the opening Test at Mohali last week.

Chasing 207 to win, the home team easily got to the target, and for the first time made a clean sweep in a series against Australia.

Needing just 22 to win at the start of the final session, India rattled off the runs in quick time (seven overs).

Sachin Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 53 and Rahul Dravid 21; the duo put together a 61-run stand for the fourth wicket to help India home.

Earlier, India made quick work of the Australian tail. The visitors were dismissed for 223 in their second essay, having batted for 75.2 overs. It took the hosts just 62 balls to take the remaining three Australian wickets.

It was the highest total India had chased successfully in Bangalore -- surpassing the 151 against New Zealand [ Images ] in 1995. It also happened to be the highest target ever chased at the Chinnaswamy stadium, beating Australia's 194 against India in 1998.

For the record, it is India's first win in five attempts over Australia at the Chinnaswamy stadium. The home team had hitherto lost two and drawn two of their previous four matches against the team from Down Under.

The defeat was Australia's fifth in their last seven Tests on Indian soil. The last occasion Australia beat India in their backyard was at Nagpur in October 2004 -- a win that also helped them seal the series.

The result also implied Ricky Ponting's search for a Test win (as captain) continued. Ponting has had to endure five defeats in his seven Tests as captain in India. And the record might stand as it is, as chances are this might be his last tour to India.

The 2-0 series loss also meant Australia will drop to fifth in the ICC Test rankings, their lowest position since inception of the rankings.

Morning session:

Australian (2nd innings): (21 runs, 10.2 overs, 3 wickets)

Australia started cautiously on the fifth and final day. Mitchell Johnson (11) and Nathan Hauritz (21 not out) put on 32 runs for the eighth wicket.

Johnson smashed a Zaheer delivery wide of mid-off to not only ensure a boundary but also stretch the Australian lead to 200.

Then Zaheer, in his fourth over, struck. He cleaned up Johnson to give the home team their first breakthrough for the day.

They didn't have to wait long for the second, Sreesanth [ Images ] rattling Ben Hilfenhaus' (0) stumps in the very next over.

And Zaheer soon had Peter George (0) caught behind to end the Australian innings. The left-arm seamer was India's best bowler with figures of three for 41, his analysis on the fifth day making for impressive reading: 5.2-1-9-2.

Earlier, the visitors resumed from their overnight score of 202 for seven, looking to extend their lead and put themselves in a winning position.

Indian (2nd innings): (73 runs, 12 overs, 1 wicket)

Murali Vijay began the Indian reply on a confident note, steering the first ball (off Hilfenhaus) wide of gully for the first boundary of the innings.

Michael Hussey didn't help the Australian cause much by dropping Virender Sehwag (when on one) at gully in the second over bowled by Johnson.

The let-off didn't prove costly, though.

Hilfenhaus struck in the next over, having Sehwag (7) caught behind. Pujara was promoted up the order to number three. The move worked well.

The introduction of Nathan Hauritz, in the ninth over, didn't help either, the spinner conceding 12 runs in his first over, with Pujara helping himself to two boundaries, both right of mid-off. And in his second over, it was Vijay who singled him out.

After 12 overs (at lunch), the home team had made 73 for one, with Murali Vijay on 29 and giving him company was Cheteshwar Pujara 28. The duo looked confident and scored at a faster rate, putting together a 56-run partnership for the second wicket in quick time (just 60 balls).

Post-lunch session: (112 runs, 26 overs, 2 wickets)

Watson dismissed Murali Vijay leg before to give Australia a much-required breakthrough soon after lunch. Vijay's 45-ball 37 was inclusive of six boundaries; he put on 72 runs for the second wicket with Pujara (in just 78 balls).

In came Tendulkar, and immediately he started doing what he does best -- attack from the first ball.

Pujara, meanwhile, continued his good work. A boundary between fine-leg and deep-square off Watson helped him get to 48. Two balls later, another pull to the fence helped him reach his maiden Test fifty. Considering he had scored just four in his first Test innings, facing just three balls, it was definitely an occasion to savour.

The Saurashtra batsman became only the fifth Indian to score 50 or more in the fourth innings of a Test on debut. The last to do it was Sunil Gavaskar [ Images ], in 1971.

Pujara and Tendulkar put together 57 runs for the third wicket to all but seal Australia's fate.

Then Hauritz, who has been listless throughout the series, for once bowled a good delivery that got the better of Pujara's defence.

Pujara's 89-ball 72 was inclusive of seven hits to the fence.

In Hauritz's eighth over, Tendulkar seemed to be in a hurry, hitting successive sixes over long-on. And along with Dravid, he took India to the brink before tea, making the final session a mere formality.

After 38 overs (at tea), the home team had scored 185 for three, with Tendulkar on 39, and giving him company was Dravid on 13.

Needing just 22 to win in the final session, India rattled off the runs in quick time (seven overs).

Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 53 and Dravid on 21; the duo put together a 61-run stand for the fourth wicket as India cruised home.

Testmatch won by India

Debutant Cheteshwar Pujara proved an unlikely hero as India thrashed Australia by seven wickets in the second and final Test on Wednesday 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 number one Test side.

Ricky Ponting's Australia, preparing for next month's start of the Ashes series at home against England, slipped to fifth place behind the Indians, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the Englishmen.

Rahul Dravid made 21 not out as India followed their dramatic one-wicket win in the first Test in Mohali last week to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Tendulkar, who hit a double-century in the first innings, stamped India's superiority by smashing off-spinner Nathan Hauritz for two consecutive sixes just before the tea interval.

Pujara and opener Murali Vijay put on 72 for the second wicket to revive India after the accomplished Virender Sehwag was dismissed in the third over for seven.

Sehwag edged Ben Hilfenhaus to wicket-keeper Tim Paine, one delivery after hitting a four to the point boundary. Pujara, who was promoted to number three in place of 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. Pujara, who fell for four in the first innings to a delivery that kept low, began with two exquisite cover drives off Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Johnson.

He then drove Hauritz to the mid-off fence to bring up the 50 of the innings. Pujara continued in the same vein, once getting five runs on an overthrow as he charged down for a sharp single.

Vijay too kept the scoreboard ticking with two cuts over third man, before he fell leg-before to Shane Watson after making 37. 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.

Johnson, who put on 32 for the eighth wicket with Hauritz, was bowled by Zaheer Khan for 11 after the pair had added 15 runs to the overnight score of 202-7.

One run later, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth bowled Hilfenhaus for no score, before Zaheer had last man Peter George caught behind by wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Hauritz remained unbeaten on 21. Zaheer and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha finished with three wickets each, while 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 October 17.