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India complete series sweep over Australia
India completed a historic 4-0 clean sweep against Australia by recording an emphatic six-wicket victory in the fourth and final Test in New Delhi on Sunday.
On a Feroze Shah Kotla track which is not conducive for good batting, India chased down a tricky target of 155, largely due to Cheteshwar Pujara's dazzling strokeplay as the home team recorded their biggest ever series win in the 81-year history inside three days.
For Australia, it was the first time in 43 years to suffer a 0-4 series whitewash after Bill Lawry's side did the same in South Africa in 1969-70.
Pujara a brilliant unbeaten 82
Cheteshwar Pujara, who was battling pain as he was playing with a swollen hand, enthralled one and all with his perfect technique on a rank turner, scoring a brilliant unbeaten 82 off 92 balls with 11 boundaries.
Pujara hit three boundaries off Glenn Maxwell to level the scores and then Dhoni hit the winning boundary to send the 25,000-odd crowd at the stadium into a frenzy.
The on-field celebrations were muted but the dressing room was delirious with joy as the players engaged in bear hugs.
The target of 155 might have looked quite a task but both Pujara and Kohli made batting look easy on a difficult track, adding 104 runs for the second wicket to pave the way for victory.
Jadeja took his maiden five-wicket haul
Earlier, in the pitch prepared by Venkat Sundaram resembling a minefield, Ravindra Jadeja, with figures of five for 58, created terror in the minds of the Australian batsmen with vicious turn and bounce as they were all-out for 164 in their second innings.
Jadeja, first removed Glenn Maxwell, who was sent up the order to open the innings. Maxwell (8) didn't come fully forward to a delivery from Jadeja that pitched on the middle stump and turned a shade to hit the off-stump.
David Warner (8) was then trapped leg before in Jadeja's very next over as the batsmen played a length ball on the backfoot. He was caught plumb in-front. Jadeja then pitched one on the good length and turned enough to catch Cowan (24) on the backfoot.
The post lunch session saw Steven Smith (19) and Mitchell Johnson (0) being removed by Jadeja off successive balls as the Saurashtra player completed a five-wicket haul and take his tally to 24 in the series.
He was named the man-of-the-match.
Ojha took two key wickets
Pragyan Ojha, whose lone wicket in the Australian first innings helped him become the third quickest Indian bowler to reach 100 Test wickets, finished with figures of two for 19 in the second innings.
Stand-in captain captain Shane Watson (5) played a rash shot off an innocuous delivery from Ojha. Watson rocked on the backfoot to pull a short delivery that kept a little low, only to get an inside edge on to the stumps.
The left-arm spinner then had Matthew Wade (19) caught behind.
Ashwin finished with 29 wickets in the series
R Ashwin finished with figures of two for 55 to take his tally of wickets in the series to an impressive 29.
Phillip Hughes (6), who had two decent knocks under his belt, got a questionable decision when Ashwin coming round the wicket trapped him on his back-pad.
The off-spinner then had Peter Siddle (50) caught behind to end the Australian second innings at 164.
He was named the man-of-the-series.
Siddle top-scored for Australia again with 50
Peter Siddle produced another gutsy performance with the willow as he took the Indian attack by the scruff of its neck scoring a 45-ball 50 with seven boundaries.
His innings was a lesson for the Australian top-order about the technique needed to survive on treacherous track.
Incidentally, Siddle, who top-scored with 51 in the first innings as well, was the best Aussie batsman in both innings as his effort meant that the visitors put up a fight.
Vijay was dismissed early
Starting the chase, Murali Vijay (11) was bowled trying to play a needless reverse sweep off a Glenn Maxwell delivery.
However, Pujara playing with a swollen hand along with Kohli showed positive intent as they scored at a fast pace, averaging at six runs per over during the post-lunch session.
Tendulkar made just one
There were a few jitters when India lost Virat Kohli (41), Sachin Tendulkar (1)and Ajinkya Rahane (1) in quick succession but Pujara kept his cool in company of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (8 not out) to successfully complete the run chase.
Lyon finished with nine wickets in the match
Nathan Lyon finished with figures of two for 71 in the second innings to go with his seven wickets in the first.
The offie had both Virat Kohli (41) and Tendulkar (1) out leg before to finish with a match-haul of nine for 165.
Alas, it came a bit too late.