Cricket Australia v India: Captain Sourav Ganguly hailed match-winner Rahul Dravid, claiming he "batted like God", after leading India to a first Test win in Australia for 22 years with their four-wicket triumph in Adelaide yesterday.
The tourists, who move 1-0 up in the four-Test series, went into the final day looking to complete their first win on Australian soil since February 1981.
Chasing a target of 230, India resumed on 37 without loss but found the going hard as Australia pushed them all the way. The key innings came from Dravid, who hit 233 in the first innings, as he added another patient 72 not out to guide his side home.
"He's a great player, he batted like God," said Ganguly. "The amount of runs he has scored in the last two or three years is incredible."
Dravid added: "I love fighting and competing. Here was a great opportunity to fight and compete and I'm glad I was able to do that."
His efforts wrapped up a wonderful team performance from India, who also received notable contributions from VVS Laxman, who hit 148 in the first innings, and Ajit Agarkar who claimed eight wickets.
"We agreed before the Test series if we want to win we cannot rely on individuals. Agarkar with the ball, Laxman and others chipping in with the bat was vital," Ganguly added.
Vice-captain Dravid, overcome by emotion as the enormity of the achievement sunk in, added: "Australia will come back fighting but we will take confidence from this."
Australia claimed their first breakthrough with the score on 48 when Akash Chopra was trapped lbw by Jason Gillespie.
Chopra's opening partner Virender Sehwag was next to go, stumped by Adam Gilchrist off Stuart MacGill.
That brought Sachin Tendulkar to the crease and, in tandem with Dravid, he started to take the game away from Australia.
The pair put on 70 for the third wicket, despite being troubled by Brad Williams, and it came as a surprise when Tendulkar was dismissed due to a misjudgment.
MacGill got one to go straight on and with Tendulkar shouldering arms, the umpire had a straightforward lbw decision.
Ganguly added just 12 before scooping a drive off Andy Bichel to Simon Katich a point, and with India on 170 for four the hosts sniffed a a comeback.
But first-innings heroes Dravid and Laxman kept their nerve with the latter, in particular, looking to attack at every opportunity.
Laxman's 32 off just 34 balls all but secured the win, although he was unable to see it all the way through to the end after mistiming another big shot off Katich, picking out Bichel.
Katich then accounted for Parthiv Patel (3)
before Dravid fittingly hit
the winning runs.
Australia - first innings 556
India - first innings 523
Australia - second innings 196
INDIA - second innings
A Chopra lbw b Gillespie 20
V Sehwag st Gilchrist b MacGill 47
R Dravid not out 72
S Tendulkar lbw b MacGill 37
S Ganguly c Katich b Bichel 12
V Laxman c Bichel b Katich 32
P Patel b Katich 3
A Agarkar not out 0
Extras (b-3, lb-6, w-1) 10
... ----
Total (for six wickets, 72.4 overs) ... 233
Fall of wickets: 1-48 2-79 3-149 4-170 5-221 6-229
Bowling: Gillespie 10.2-2-22-1, Williams 14-6-34-0, MacGill 24.4-3-101-2, Bichel 11.4-2-35-1 (w-1), Katich 8-1-22-2, Waugh 4-0-10-0
India won by 4 wkts
Man of the match: Rahul Dravid (India)
