India seal series with resounding 4th test win

By Sanjay Rajan

NAGPUR, India (Reuters) - India sealed their first test series victory over top-ranked Australia in seven years on Monday after Amit Mishra and Harbhajan Singh spun the hosts to a resounding 172-run win in the fourth and final test.

Leg-spinner Mishra and off-spinner Harbhajan shared seven wickets to bowl out Australia for 209 in their second innings with almost a session to spare on the last day, wrapping up the four-match series 2-0.

"We had motivation, we had plans, the best part was we executed them very well," India's new captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni told the presentation ceremony.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma provided the early breakthrough with the dismissals of first-innings centurion Simon Katich (16) and Michael Clarke (22) after India had set the tourists an imposing target of 382 for a series-squaring victory.

"The fast bowlers did the trick for us in the series. They bowled their hearts out and were backed by the spinners and part-time bowlers."

India last beat Australia at home in 2001 and drew one of three subsequent series. This was Australia's first series defeat since the 2005 Ashes tour of England.

"The victory is very important for the team and everybody. Everybody was looking up to this series," Dhoni said.

With this result, India moved to the second place in the ICC test rankings and only 13 points separate them from Australia.