India defeat Australia by one wicket in first Test at Mohali
Published:India have beaten Australia by the solitary wicket after an exciting and dramatic end to the first Test match in Mohali.
VVS Laxman struck an unbeaten 73 to guide his side to the win after a batting collapse from his top order earlier in the innings.
Chasing a total of 216 runs, India struggled to 55-4 before the climax of the fourth day, and were struggling at 124-8 early on the final day.
That left India needing 93 runs with just two wickets to spare and Laxman, assisted superbly by Ishant Sharma, put on a partnership of 81 for the ninth wicket stand before Sharma was dismissed by Hilfenhaus on 31.
Last man in for India, Pragyan Ojha, held his nerve with his side requiring just 11 to win and Ojha contributed five as he and Laxman steered India to a 1-0 series lead.
The second and final Test starts on Saturday and India are 2/1 to win the Test and 1/3 to win the series.
Australia are 9/4 to win the Test but the draw is the favourite at 11/10.
After Laxman’s impressive innings, you can get 6/1 that he will be India’s top runscorer in the first innings, but Sachin Tendulkar will be smarting after losing his wicket for 98 and he will be out to make amends in the second Test.
Tendulkar is 7/2 to be India’s top runscorer in the first innings of the second test.
Australia can take positives from the result after a strong bowling performance and Shane Watson notched a century and a half-century – he is 7/2 to be Australia’s leading runscorer in the first innings.
It’s 9/4 for the series to end in a draw. See the full India vs Australia betting odds market here.
