VVS Laxman continued to burnish his already lustrous second-innings record and Harbhajan Singh made his second half-century of the match to steer India towards safety on the final day of the first Test. Chris Martin and New Zealand couldn't replicate the venom with which they bowled either side of tea on Sunday and a draw became the odds-on favourite again.The injuries to Hamish Bennett and Jesse Ryder didn't help New Zealand either. A serious push for victory against the world's No. 1 side is difficult to sustain when Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum, with 12 overs of international experience between them, were given the ball.
In his previous two Tests, Laxman had turned in contrasting match-winning efforts on the final day. In Ahmedabad, he showed his match-saving skills. It was hard to guess from his unperturbed demeanour and batting that India were battling for survival, and he repeatedly worked the spinners towards sweeper cover and deep point to make his runs. His first violent shot was a sweep that nearly carried to the midwicket boundary to bring up his half-century.
Unlike cool-and-collected Laxman, Harbhajan was less secure. He nearly committed hara-kiri in the third over of the day with an ill-judged call for a single after punching the ball to mid-off. Daniel Vettori's throw missed the stumps with Harbhajan yards out. Harbhajan also offered half-chances to slip and forward short leg but despite the shakiness, he never put away his natural attacking strokes. He outscored Laxman with maverick batting: driving a wide Martin delivery on-the-up and through a crowded off-side field, sweeping Vettori powerfully in the air against the turn, and - riskiest of all - a reverse-paddle off Jeetan Patel.
No team has ever won chasing in Ahmedabad, and half-centuries from Laxman and Harbhajan made it improbable that New Zealand would be the first.
