India take low-scoring humdinger

India 213 for 9 (Rohit 72, Roach 3-46) beat West Indies 211 for 9 (Bravo 60) by one wicket

Nos. 10 and 11, Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav, managed to string together the 11 runs India required to take a 1-0 lead in the series © AFP

For the second time in four days, India and West Indies showed that big hits aren't crucial ingredients in absorbing cricket. As in the Mumbai Test, the final delivery of the match was punched to long-on, but this time there were no tears for the home fans as last man Umesh Yadav's drive went for four to end a pulsating match.

It wasn't the highest quality of cricket, but there was no shortage of entertainment for a voluble Cuttack crowd watching its first international match in two years. Rohit Sharma seemed to have sealed the game with a mostly level-headed half-century after India slipped to 59 for 5, but his dismissal 11 runs short of the target provided an extra dollop of suspense to an already tumultuous match.

Watching tailenders bat ranks high among the enjoyable sidelights in cricket, and watching a panicky No. 10 Varun Aaron and Umesh, with all of 10 ODI caps between them, negotiate the final passage was a heart-warmer. The two came together after Vinay Kumar, a relatively more skilled batsman, lost his head and his wicket by charging out and holing out to mid-off, and that five deliveries after Rohit's dismissal.

Eleven runs were needed from the final pair, off 23 deliveries. It was to be expected that the predominant mood in the middle wouldn't be calm-and-collected, but it was still hard to explain the thinking behind Aaron declining a single off the fifth delivery of the 47th, so that he could take strike in the next over. A visibly stricken Rohit couldn't believe that decision, and substitute Ajinkya Rahane muttered under his breath.

A spell of 15 dot balls was finally ended by Aaron thumping the ball to long-off for a single. More headless-chicken stuff followed as Umesh nurdled the fifth ball of the 48th, with Aaron this time desperately wanting a non-existent second in another attempt to face the start of the next over.

In Aaron's defence, Umesh wasn't exactly the most confidence-inspiring of batsmen, regularly planting his front foot across the stumps and poking at the ball. Umesh managed to sneak a single towards square leg off the first delivery of the penultimate over, for which the pacy Andre Russell might have been a better choice than the innocuous Darren Sammy. An on-target yorker at Russell's pace could have been the game, but Sammy perhaps feared the edged boundary to third man or fine leg.

In any case, Sammy's second delivery was a hit-me short-and-wide delivery that was dispatched for four by Aaron, to bring India within four of victory. He guided the next ball towards point for a single, and in his enthusiasm to look for yet another unlikely second, he slipped and had to settle for one. Umesh coolly shouldered arms to the next delivery, before punching a length ball past mid-on for the boundary that extended India's winning streak in home ODIs to ten. It also ended Aaron's mad scramble for the second run, something he famously did, without delivering victory, off the final delivery in the Mumbai Test.

At the other extreme when it comes to taking the second is R Ashwin, who was mildly criticised after delaying setting off for the potentially winning-run in Mumbai. This time he will receive a lot more criticism, after staying put for too long though his senior partner Rohit was running to the danger end, and was confident of making it.

Before that run-out, India were 54 away with plenty of overs to go, with Rohit and Ashwin - fresh from a Test century - in the middle. A fairly comfortable state, which India reached due to a 83-run stand for the sixth wicket between Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja. That stand administered CPR to a chase that was fast fading at 59 for 5.

Rohit played the more expansive strokes - a stylish six over the bowler, a textbook cover drive for four off Russell, followed by a controlled pull for another boundary. Jadeja was more content playing the no-frills role, picking up several of his boundaries through glides behind point. It was crucial innings for both players - Rohit, returning after several months out due to a finger injury, is looking to secure a spot in the crowded middle order, while Jadeja is still to emphatically prove he deserves a spot as high as No. 7.

All the drama seemed unlikely when India's openers galloped to 37 four overs into the chase. The dew was expected to play a huge role in the evening, and a chock-a-block crowd was probably one of the biggest many of the West Indians had played in front of. Kemar Roach didn't let any of that affect him as he pulled West Indies back into the match by removing Parthiv Patel and Gautam Gambhir in the fifth over, and adding the scalp of Virat Kohli soon after.

When Russell snuck one past Virender Sehwag's bat, and Suresh Raina chipped a catch to mid-off, it was West Indies who were in control, particularly as India's most reliable middle-order finishers, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, were absent.

Rohit and the bowlers clinched it for India at the end, but the inexperienced attack had been hugely impressively in the afternoon as well. India had none of the regular members of their World Cup-winning line-up but that didn't prevent them from limiting the visitors to a small total. Umesh and Varun showed off the pace for which they have made a name, Vinay 's patented away-swinger was on display, and the spinners continued to give the selectors no reason to think of Harbhajan Singh.

West Indies' batting had had a reviving stand of its own between Darren Bravo and Danza Hyatt after the top-order stumbled. Bravo doled out his usual share of easy-on-the-eyes boundaries as he extended his rich form from the Tests to make 60, while Hyatt was more controlled after starting problems, due to which he has reached double-digits only twice in six ODI-innings so far.

Some amateurish running from Hyatt took away any semblance of momentum from the West Indian batting, and the dismissals of Bravo and Kieron Pollard within a short span, meant the final third of the innings was slow going.

The 211 they posted seemed far from substantial, especially as the pitch wasn't playing too many tricks - the curator had boldly predicted 300-plus ahead of the match - but they again showed an encouraging ability to fight. That may not have translated into results on this trip so far, but it has resulted in the home side being forced to dig very deep in most of the matches. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Agarkar unhappy about being dropped by Mumbai

	Ajit Agarkar was not happy about being left out of Mumbai's XI against Orissa © ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Ajit Agarkar, Mumbai's leading fast bowler, flew back from Cuttack on the first day of Mumbai's match against Orissa because he was disappointed at being dropped from the final XI. Agarkar was part of the 15-man squad and had played in the last game against Karnataka, but following the team meeting on Monday, he was told by the trio of captain Wasim Jaffer, coach Sulakshan Kulkarni and selector Ravi Thakkar that they had decided to pick Aavishkar Salvi ahead of him.

"They did not tell me before going I am not going to be the part of the eleven. I do not expect to not play Ranji Trophy for Mumbai," Agarkar told ESPNcricinfo. Agarkar had missed Mumbai's first two games of the season with a thigh injury and went wicketless in the third-round Elite group match against Karnataka, played at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai.

"My only issue is if they had decided beforehand in Mumbai they could have easily told me and I might not have gone to Cuttack," Agarkar said. "For someone who has been around for this long, just telling him night before the match that he is not in the playing eleven is not what you accept."

Once he had decided to return to Mumbai, Agarkar followed protocol and called Nitin Dalal, the Mumbai Cricket Association secretary, requesting permission to return home. "I asked him and the team management to allow me to go. I was feeling very dejected and me sitting there in the dressing room sulking and with the young guys around would only add unnecessary pressure."

What hurt Agarkar more was that most of the selection committee, along with the pair of Jaffer and Kulkarni, had known him for a long time and he felt he deserved a call in private. "The captain knows me since last 20 years, since my school days; the selection committee chairman (Milind Rege) actually got me [a job with] Tatas; Abey Kuruvilla, another selector, has played cricket with me and Sulakshan Kulkarni has played Ranji Trophy with me. Anyone of these people could have told me before the squad left for Cuttack."

Agarkar was not worried about the potential repercussions of his decision. "I am hurt because after one match you are telling me that I have become that bad for Mumbai Ranji Trophy team then obviously there is something more to it than just cricket." According to Agarkar, he would've accepted the decision if only the selectors had called him and explained their plan in advance.

Salvi had missed out on Mumbai's last two matches - against Rajasthan as he was not well and then against Karnataka Mumbai chose to play three spinners, with Agarkar getting the nod ahead of him. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Injured Praveen out of Australia Tests

Praveen Kumar, the India medium-pacer, has been ruled out of the on-going ODI series against West Indies as well as the Tests in Australia starting next month because of a fractured rib. Praveen had a scan on Monday which revealed the fracture, and is expected to be out for five to six weeks. A replacement will be named for the Tests in Australia on December 5.

The Indian selectors, who had meetings on consecutive days last week to pick squads for the ODIs against West Indies and the Test leg of the Australia tour, had included Praveen for both the series. But in an interesting twist of events Sanjay Jagdale, the BCCI secretary, informed Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of selectors, on Sunday afternoon that Praveen had suffered from a 'blunt chest'. Karnataka fast bowlerAbhimanyu Mithun was immediately appointed as a replacement.

According to the original BCCI media release sent on Monday evening, Praveen had been ruled out for the first three ODIs of the West Indies series. This came after Virender Sehwag, the stand-in Indian captain for the first three matches, had said on the eve of the Cuttack ODI that Praveen would be available for the second match as he was suffering from "a niggle".

It is understood that the selectors had no clue about Praveen's original injury when they had drafted his name in the squads for the two squads. "On the day of the selection if there is no adverse fitness report then you assume they are fit. If you have not reported you are unfit you are assumed to be fit," a BCCI official informed ESPNcricinfo. According to him the turn of events in Praveen's case caught the selection committee completely by surprise. "The selectors only came to know a day after the Mumbai Test (which ended three days ago)," the official pointed out.

This is the second time this year Praveen has had the misfortune of missing out on a crucial series. Earlier this year a tennis elbow injury ruined his chances of participating in the World Cup. Though he picked anankle injury at the back end of the England tour, he was India's best bowler in the four-Test Pataudi Trophy. The elbow injury troubled him again after the Twenty20 match against England in Kolkata in late October. Consequently Praveen asked the Indian board for a two-week rest. He did play in a Ranji Trophy league match for Uttar Pradesh against Saurashtra in Meerut earlier this month to show his fitness. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Yuvraj battling non-malignant tumour

	Yuvraj Singh has been battling a non-malignant tumour on his lung, in addition to his on-field injuries © Getty Images

Yuvraj Singh, the India allrounder, had asked the BCCI not to consider him for selection for the ODI series against West Indies because he has been recovering from what his family has called an "illness that threatened his career," caused by an "abnormal tumour" on his lung.

According to a statement released by his mother, Shabnam Singh, Yuvraj had been troubled by bouts of coughing and vomitting during the 2011 World Cup but had ignored the problem during the tournament, "assuming it was due to stress."

When the problem persisted after the World Cup, Yuvraj sought medical advice and tests revealed "a golf-ball sized" growth on his left lung, the statement said. Initial reports had suggested that Yuvraj "had what in medical terms is called an abnormal tumor called lymphoma. The danger was, we were told, that it could be malignant."

Early medical treatment and therapy led to Yuvraj feeling better than he did during the World Cup and he "was eager to resume his India duties." However, after returning from the tour of England due to a finger injury sustained during the Nottingham Test, Yuvraj went through several rounds of tests, scans and a recent biopsy in order to ascertain the exact nature of the tumour. "Further reports have indicated that the tumour is non-malignant and non-threatening and can be treated through proper medication and therapy. In medical terms, Yuvraj is now in a much better state and on his way to a full recovery."

Yuvraj had informed the BCCI president N Srinivasan of the findings and wanted to regain his fitness. It was why he had "sought some more time ... and asked not to be considered for selection in the one-dayers versus West Indies."

In the statement Yuvraj's mother said he "did not want to rush things, wants to be 100% fit before resuming his cricket for India and has started working hard on both his fitness and his cricket. He is already preparing himself to play the one-day series in Australia."

Yuvraj was not included in the Test squad for the tour of Australia. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Harbhajan left out of Australia tour

Pragyan Ojha and R Ashwin have been picked as India's two spinners for the tour of Australia © AFP

India have left out Harbhajan Singh from the squad for the Test series in Australia, picking Pragyan Ojha and R Ashwin as the spinners in the 17-man group. Medium-pacer Praveen Kumar, who was part of the team in England, returns to the squad in place of legspinner Rahul Sharma, who was part of the squad for the ongoing Test series against West Indies but did not play a match.

The squad comprised eight specialist batsmen, two wicketkeeper batsmen, five fast bowlers and two spinners. Wriddhiman Saha was named as reserve wicketkeeper, while Zaheer Khan, who is recovering from hamstring and ankle injuries, will join the team subject to match fitness.

"Zaheer will play in a couple of Ranji Trophy matches. And once he is fully match-fit and everything is fine, he will join the side," Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of India's selectors, said. "He may also go with the team as by the time [the team leaves] he would have played a couple of matches."

MS Dhoni, the India captain, said that Zaheer testing his fitness in a Ranji game for Mumbai against Orissa would be beneficial for both the player and the team. "He [Zaheer] gives his 100%. But if you have to undergo rehab it has to be done really well," Dhoni said. "We are hoping that he is 100% fit for the Australia series. Once he plays a first-class game that will help judge to some extent the way he feels."

Zaheer bowled to the Indian batsmen in the lead up to the third Test against West Indies at the Wankhede and Dhoni said he "looked quite fit."

Harbhajan's omission was a result of left-arm spinner Ojha and offspinner Ashwin produced compelling performances in the Test series against West Indies. Ashwin was the series' highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps at 22.90 apiece, while Ojha took 20 at 22.50. Ashwin also scored his maiden international century in the third Test at the Wankhede.

"Unfortunately, we cannot help it [not picking Harbhajan] as the team selects itself," Srikkanth said. "In Australia, you cannot have more than two spinners. Pragyan Ojha and Ashwin are doing an excellent job. Sometimes it becomes bad luck and sometimes people miss out. I'm sure everyone has their own time and space to come back."

Harbhajan had been dropped from the squad for the West Indies series after a poor performance in England, where he took only two wickets in two Tests before an abdominal-muscle injury forced him to return home. He failed to perform in the Ranji Trophy as well, managing only two wickets at an average of 102 in three matches as captain of Punjab. On India's previous tour to Australia, in 2007-08, Harbhajan had a tally of eight wickets in three Tests at 61.25. He conceded over 100 runs in an innings three times in that series.

Yuvraj Singh, who will miss the upcoming ODI series against West Indies because of a lung infection, and Suresh Raina, were also not in not in the team.

"We have chosen a very balanced side. We have taken everything into account, including fitness and Australian conditions," Srikkanth said. "If you ask me today whether this team can beat Australia in Australia, I would say I'm very confident. We should beat Australia in Australia in a Test series.

"Our batsman are in form, our bowlers are in form. And now we have all kinds of bowlers. We have fast bowlers, medium-fast bowlers, we have swing bowlers, spinners - left-arm and offspin," Srikkanth said. "So depending on the conditions there the team management will select the team on a match-to-match basis."

Squad: MS Dhoni (capt &wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Rohit Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Zaheer Khan (subject to fitness). © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Only the second draw with scores level

India 482 (Ashwin 103, Tendulkar 94, Dravid 82) and 242 for 9 (Kohli 63, Sehwag 60) drew with West Indies 590 (Bravo 166, K Edwards 86, Powell 81) and 134 (Ojha 6-47, Ashwin 4-34)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Virat Kohli forged his second Test fifty in two days to seal his place at No. 6 for the Boxing Day Test © AFP

The draw was the predicted result at the start of the final day at the Wankhede. It was a draw alright, but instead of the widely expected bore, India and West Indies served up one of the most extraordinary days of Test cricket, with the match ending with the scores level for only the second time in history.

R Ashwin was the Man of the Match and Man of the Series, but wasn't the man of the moment for India when they needed two off the final delivery - he took a single, but didn't set off immediately for the tight second that could have sealed the win, and the clean sweep for India. Ashwin was run out, ending an hour of almost unbearable tension that showcased Test cricket's slow-burn thrills. Fidel Edwards, a man renowned for securing nail-biting draws with the bat, had done the job with the ball in the final over this time.

A comatose Test had sprung to life on the final morning in Mumbai, as Pragyan Ojha and Ashwin ran through the West Indian line-up courtesy a combination of quality spin and atrocious shot selection. That left India a tricky 243 to get in 64 overs. Virender Sehwag then concocted another brisk half-century to set the early pace, before Virat Kohli forged his second Test fifty in two days to seal his place at No. 6 for the Boxing Day Test and keep India's pursuit on course.

With ten overs to go, India were well in control - 42 away with Kohli and Ashwin at the crease, both youngsters brimming with confidence after making plenty of runs on the fourth day, and having their places for the tour of Australia confirmed earlier on the fifth. The pair took India within 19 runs of the target, and victory seemed a formality. That was when Kohli top-edged a catch to a hobbling Darren Sammy at gully.

That put Ashwin in the spotlight. He revelled under responsibility all series, but the biggest test of his temperament had just arrived, as the required-rate increasingly gained significance. He was remarkably composed, often counselling the tailenders as the match wound its way to an impossibly tense finish. The most common chant in Indian grounds is the "Sachin, Sachin" mantra - the first word stretched out, the second short and sharp. A similar chant went around the Wankhede, only Sachin was replaced by Ashwin.

As the light faded, so too did the West Indian fielding. They missed several direct hits, including two off successive deliveries in the penultimate over. One precise throw could have been a match-turner. Ishant Sharma began with a classic off-drive for four, and then scraped singles with Ashwin to bring it down to four runs needed off eight, with two wickets remaining.

Ravi Rampaul then got reward for his give-it-everything burst, getting a ball to swerve past Ishant's bat and take out leg stump. The debutant Varun Aaron walked out, under far more pressure than he would have ever faced in his fledgling career. He inside-edged a single to keep strike for the final over. Three needed.

Edwards bowled with a packed in-field, with only third man and fine leg deep to prevent any edged boundaries. His first ball was too quick for Aaron, the second was sharply fielded at cover, and third was a tailenders' mow that connected with nothing. A take-it-easy mid-pitch conversation followed. Rather than the batsman, it was the West Indian fielding that took it easy though, as yet another misfield provided an opening, with Marlon Samuels conceding a single to bring Ashwin on strike.

Two off two then. Ashwin edged the penultimate ball onto the pad. No run, but with two wickets in hand, an India defeat had now been taken out of the equation. He pummelled the final delivery to long-on, and though Aaron was haring back to the non-striker's end, Ashwin was slow to turn around for the second, giving more time for a run-out at the wicketkeeper's end. When it mattered, the throw was spot on, Ashwin was run out with the scores level.

The drama at the death made the topsy-turvy events of the morning seem humdrum. It had taken India nearly six sessions to get eight West Indian wickets in the first innings, but the same feat required little more than an hour on the final morning. The difference between West Indies' totals was 456, the fourth-largest in Test history, yet again highlighting their inability to put together two solid innings.

Ojha sparked the collapse by removing West Indies' best batsman of the series, Darren Bravo, and their most experienced, Samuels, in one over. He snared the first five wickets of the innings, before Ashwin joined the party, and the two were in a race to top the series' wickets chart. It ended Ashwin 22, Ojha 20.

While one Caribbean meltdown a Test is almost the norm, it was expected that even if India lost a few early wickets, the stalwarts in the middle order would at least hold out for a safety-first draw - especially against an attack that was missing Sammy, troubled by a leg injury. Devendra Bishoo was also hampered by a thigh injury. Sehwag made the most of three dropped catches, and though it wasn't his usual blast-from-the-start innings, there was plenty of typical audacity as he powered India along at five an over.

It was all India as they motored past 100, before the twist duly arrived. Sehwag, the great entertainer, found an unusual way to get out - top-edging a full toss outside leg to short fine leg after attempting an insouciant reverse-paddle. Samuels then made up for the eyesore of a stroke he attempted earlier in the day, by wheedling out the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

India still had the iron-clad guarantee of VVS Laxman, perhaps the finest final-innings player around. For once, he couldn't stay till the end, and when another famous finisher, MS Dhoni, followed him soon after, it was down to the new boys, Kohli and Ashwin. They might not have taken India over the line, but were instrumental in one of the most dramatic denouements in Test history.

If Test cricket's obituarists hadn't been daunted by Zimbabwe's brave but failed chase in Bulawayo, or the twists-and-turns of the South Africa v Australia series, this match should certainly keep them at bay.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Dhoni, Sachin to miss opening three ODIs; Sehwag to lead

	Virender Sehwag will lead India in MS Dhoni's absence © AFP

Virender Sehwag is set to lead India in an ODI for the first time since December 2009, after the selectors decided to give MS Dhoni a break for the five-match series against West Indies.

Sachin Tendulkar was also rested for the first three one-dayers, while Yuvraj Singh informed the selectors that he was not fully fit, which means neither has played an ODI for India since their starring roles in the World Cup win. Offspinner Harbhajan Singh, who was dropped for the home ODI series against England and the ongoing Tests against West Indies, remains out of contention too.

Since taking over as full-time captain, Dhoni has been reluctant to miss one-day games despite his heavy workload as full-time wicketkeeper and captain of India and his IPL franchise, the Chennai Super Kings. In recent times, he sat out of two bilateral one-day series against New Zealand and West Indies, on either side of the World Cup. Gautam Gambhir stood in as captain against New Zealand, while Suresh Raina led an inexperienced side in the West Indies, in the absence of Sehwag, Gambhir and Yuvraj.

Yuvraj's exclusion is believed to be due to a recurrence of the lung infection that ruled him out of the tour of West Indies earlier in the year. He returned to the side for the Tests in England, and made a fifty in Trent Bridge, before suffering a fractured finger that put him out of the rest of the series and England's return tour. He came back for the ongoing Tests against West Indies, but failed in the first two matches, before making way for Virat Kohli for the Mumbai Test.

The rest of the side was along expected lines, with Praveen Kumar and Vinay Kumar returning to complete the four-man seam attack that also included Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav. S Aravind and Abhimanyu Mithun, who were picked for the England ODIs, were dropped despite not getting a game in that series.

Pragyan Ojha missed out despite making a strong comeback to the Test side, which meant offspinner R Ashwin, allrounder Ravindra Jadeja and legspinner Rahul Sharma will be the specialist spinners.

India squad for first three ODIs: Virender Sehwag (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel (wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Manoj Tiwary, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav, Rahul Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Match fizzles after Ashwin century

West Indies 590 and 81 for 2 lead India 482 (Ashwin 103, Tendulkar 94, Dravid 82) by 189 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	R Ashwin hit a maiden Test century, to become the first Indian since 1962 to take five wickets and score a ton in the same innings © AFP

There was a century at the Wankhede Stadium, but not the one the sell-out crowd came to see. Sachin Tendulkar missed his historic ton by six runs, but the fans at least had the consolation of watching R Ashwin conjure an energetic hundred to become the first Indian since 1962 to take five wickets and score a century in the same match.

When Ashwin walked out, India were facing the possibility of a humiliating follow-on on the flattest of tracks after the West Indies' quicks struck three times with the second new ball, but with the help of Virat Kohli, he sliced the deficit to a far more manageable 108.

In recent times, West Indies' batting has rarely shown the ability to put up strong performances in both innings of a Test, but the all-too-familiar collapse didn't occur in the final session as Darren Bravo and Kraigg Brathwaite steadfastly hung on against the spinners.

West Indies' fast bowlers began the day with intent - Ravi Rampaul starting with a bouncer to Tendulkar and Fidel Edwards striking with his first delivery of the day, getting VVS Laxman to edge to gully.

It was all about Tendulkar for the next half an hour though, as he galloped to the nineties with a series of sumptuous strokes. The classic straight drive, an effortless punch past cover, an audacious upper cut over third man for six all suggested Tendulkar was in top form, turning the Wankhede into a buzzing cauldron of noise. Ravi Rampaul switched the mute-button on though, by getting a short-of-length ball to jump at Tendulkar, who edged it to Darren Sammy at second slip. The seemingly interminable wait continues.

The crowd was at its most dejected then, and their mood didn't improve when MS Dhoni was bowled by Sammy soon after. With only the inexperienced Kohli and the bowlers to come, and India needing 60 more to force West Indies to bat again, the follow-on looked a distinct possibility.

All the hoopla may have been around Tendulkar, but it was a far more important day for Kohli, who finally got the chance to show his credentials for the No. 6 spot. He responded well, with an array of wristy flicks, guiding India ever closer to the crucial 391-run mark.

Smart stats R Ashwin became the 20th player to score a century and take a five-for in the same Test. It was the 27th instance of such a feat, and only the second since 2000. There were 11 fifty-plus scores in the first two innings of the match, which is a Test record. There are six instances of ten such scores. Ashwin's hundred is the 13th for India by a No.8 batsman, which is the most by any team. Pakistan are next with 11. Sachin Tendulkar is the first batsman to be dismissed in the 90s ten times in Tests. Rahul Dravid and Michael Slater have been out nine times each. On the third day, Dravid became the second-oldest batsman to score 1000 Test runs in a calendar year, after Don Bradman, who scored 1025 runs in 1948 at the age of 40.

Barring a caught-behind chance on 43, Kohli was barely troubled by the bowling either side of lunch, and his partnership with Ashwin not only avoided the follow-on but swelled towards triple-figures. Kohli progressed to his maiden Test half-century but couldn't carry on, gifting his wicket away while attempting to clear mid-on. There was a scream of disappointment from Kohli, but he has seemingly done enough to at least book a place for the Australia tour.

Another youngster whose tickets for Australia can be confirmed is Ashwin, who continued to find Test cricket easy in his debut series. He used to be an opener at the Under-19 level, and that was reflected during his century, which wasn't a tailender's swing-at-everything effort but a more controlled one.

The early boundaries came through measured drives and flicks, as he outscored Kohli in their partnership. After lunch, two streaky edged fours were bookended by murderous hits over mid-on for six off Bishoo. There were late cuts for four off Edwards and Marlon Samuels, audacious paddles to fine leg after jumping across the stumps on consecutive deliveries, and an air of level-headedness even as he started to run out of partners.

He started to decline the singles towards the end, and the crowd thoroughly enjoyed the tension of seeing whether Ashwin could make it to the hundred with last man Pragyan Ojha for company. The No. 11 survived 14 deliveries, including a testing over from Edwards, before Ashwin stabbed the ball past gully in the next over to bring up the century which caps an eventful month in which he has already won the Man-of-the-Match award on Test debut, and got married.

Even with a sizeable first-innings lead, West Indies looked like the only team likely to lose - their batsmen needed to withstand a trial by spin, and even if they succeeded the visitors couldn't risk declaring too early on the fifth morning to push for a victory given the might of the Indian batting.

Ojha caused some early excitement by getting rid of both Adrian Barath and Kirk Edwards within the 11th over, but Brathwaithe again showed that though he may lack flair, he wasn't short on defensive doggedness. At the other end, Bravo continued to bat as fluently as you'd expect from a man who has two centuries in his previous two innings. There was a moment of concern, when he edged a chance to Kohli at forward short leg in the final over of the day but that was put down.

Though the track showed signs of taking spin, the draw remains the likeliest result. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Tendulkar on course for 100th century

Sachin Tendulkar stayed on course for an unprecedented 100th international century as India made a strong reply on the third day of the third and final Test against the West Indies on Thursday.

In pic: Sachin Tendulkar plays a shot on Day 3 of the third Test at Wankhede on November 24

The master batsman was unbeaten on 67 while Rahul Dravid (82) completed 13,000 Test runs as India reached 281-3 in their first innings at stumps in reply to the West Indies' 590 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Tendulkar has so far added 57 for the unfinished fourth-wicket stand with Venkatsai Laxman (32 not out) with India now needing 110 more runs to avoid the follow-on with seven wickets in hand.

Tendulkar's 133-ball knock included an uppercut for six off paceman Fidel Edwards. He played handsomely, delighting the nearly 20,000 spectators in the 32,000-capacity stadium.

But he was lucky to survive on 58 when wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh dropped a difficult chance off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

Tendulkars 99 international centuries are almost evenly split between the Test and one-day format.

Dravid batted confidently during his 149-ball knock to become only the second batsman after Tendulkar (15,153) to score 13,000 Test runs when he drove seamer Darren Sammy through the covers for four.

He also completed 1,000 Test runs in the year for the third time in his career.

India lost openers Gautam Gambhir (55) and free-scoring Virender Sehwag (37) before the world's top two run-getters, Dravid and Tendulkar, added 86 for the third wicket.

Dravid looked set to complete his 37th Test hundred, and the sixth of the year, before he was bowled by part-time spinner Marlon Samuels while attempting a cut after hitting 11 fours.

Gambhir, who hit eight fours, fell soon after completing his 18th Test half-century, adjudged caught behind while attempting to pull paceman Ravi Rampaul.

He was involved in two useful stands, adding 67 for the opening wicket with Sehwag and 71 for the next with Dravid.

Sammy provided the breakthrough in his third over when he bowled Sehwag with a delivery that cut in to surprise the batsman.

Sehwag played some attractive shots during his cameo, lofting Sammy over the covers for a six in the bowler's opening over. He also hit three fours in his 50-ball knock.

The West Indies earlier added 15 runs off 3.1 overs to their overnight total of 575-9 before off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bowled Bishoo (12) to finish with 5-156 -- his second five-wicket haul in the debut Test series.

Debutant paceman Varun Aaron claimed three wickets, while paceman Ishant Sharma and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha took one wicket each.

India lead 2-0 in the series after winning the opening Test in New Delhi by five wickets and the second match in Kolkata by an innings and 15 runs.