First Test Match ended in a draw

A target of 299 in a minimum of 83 overs, after Ricky Ponting had declared the Australian second innings at 228 for six after just five overs of batting on the final morning, the Indians finished at a comfortable 177 for four after six of the 15 last hour mandatory overs had been bowled when the two teams decided to shake hands and call it a day and match.
It was a tension filled-day for the Indian batsmen, whose reputation had taken a beating in the last series in Sri Lanka. Ponting had also timed the declaration well, giving himself the option of taking the second new ball for at least a few overs if it was required. The overnight batsmen Brad Haddin and Shane Watson were clearly under instructions to hit out. As many as 35 runs were added in a mere five overs before the bowlers were given the task of bowling the Indians out.
It is not very often that the Indian batsmen have come to the party in the fourth innings, be it batting out time or achieving a target. Monday was different even if wasn’t so at the beginning. With Virender Sehwag again finding the lone slip, Mathew Hayden pouching him low off Stuart Clark and the one man born to kill time, Rahul Dravid uncharacteristically falling to a catch at short midwicket, the stage seemed set for the usual ten pin like fall.
The fifth day pitch, with its varying bounce and wide cracks, and the Australian wisecracks were all dealt with ease. Young Gautam Gambhir (29) played his part in a 53-run third wicket stand with Tendulkar (49) but it was the master’s day even if he missed overtaking Brian Lara’s Test aggregate of 11,953 by 15 runs.
Its Tendulkar's calm batting that set the tone for Laxman (42 not out) and Ganguly (26 not out) to follow.

Scorecard