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Tendulkar comes good as India continue their winning streak at Kotla

Related Links : West Indies’ Tour of India 2011/12 : Scorecard of India Vs West Indies, 1st Test at Delhi

Sachin Tendulkar scores 76 at DelhiIndia won the first Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi by a comfortable margin of 5 wickets thanks to solid half centuries from Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. The match was done and dusted about 30 minutes after the lunch break on Day 4 with VVS Laxman remaining unbeaten on 58 (from 105 balls with 6 fours). Laxman had supported Tendulkar in a match-winning stand of 71 runs for the 4th wicket.

The hosts resumed play on the fourth day needing 124 runs to win with 8 wickets in hand. There was an early casualty for them as Rahul Dravid (31 from 101 balls with 3 fours) got clean bowled trying to drive a full length delivery from Fidel Edwards which not only reverse swung in the air but also cut in some distance off the pitch to defeat the right hander. It was the end of a crucial 69-run stand for the third wicket. Sachin Tendulkar by this time was batting freely and along with Laxman was running away with the games as there weren’t too many fielders around to stop their sweet shots.

Just when Tendulkar was cruising along towards a possible 100th international ton came the heartbreaking moment when he missed out in a pull shot to a skidding flipper from leggie Bishoo which struck his back thigh infront of middle. Sachin finished with a fluent 76 with 10 fours (from 148 balls) while taking India just the 43 runs away from victory. Laxman along with Yuvraj took India 26 runs short of the win by lunch.

In what was the last session of the Test, Yuvraj Singh (18 from 40 balls) with just the one run needed for a win got clean bowled by a low ball from Sammy which sneaked through his forward defence. India made slightly heavy weather to finish the match which went till the 81st over. Off Spinner R Ashwin on debut got the Man of the Match for taking a rich haul of 9 for 128.