India target series win Down Under
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SYDNEY, Australia -- Indian spinner Anil Kumble took eight wickets for 141 runs to put his side within sight of their first ever series win in Australia at the end of day four of the fourth and final Test.
India, requiring only a draw to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy, declared their second innings at 211-2 to set the home side a near-impossible winning target of 443.
The home side, unbeaten on home soil since 1993, were 10 without loss at the close.
Earlier, Kumble had produced the best bowling figures at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 106 years as Australia were bowled out in their first innings for 474 -- 31 runs from the follow-on target.
Simon Katich top scored for Australia, scoring his maiden Test century on his way to 125, and sharing an eighth-wicket stand worth 117 with fast bowler Jason Gillespie.
But Kumble dismissed both in quick succession and then dismissed Nathan Bracken to end the innings.
Indian captain Saurav Ganguly, whose side made 705-7 in their first innings, chose to bat instead of enforcing the follow-on.
Scoring quickly, India lost openers Akash Chopra and Virender Sehwag, but an unbeaten third-wicket stand between Rahul Dravid, 91 not out, and Sachin Tendulkar, 60 not out, saw them reach 211 in just 44 overs.
Hard work
"I think the first session tomorrow is going to be very critical," said Dravid.
"It's going to be hard work, it's not going to be a case of turning up and doing it. The chances of them batting through the day are pretty good because they've got a lot of batsmen.
"But we've got some good spinners and if we get a couple of early wickets then we can put them under a lot of pressure."
Australia, for whom Steve Waugh is playing his final Test match, would require a world record second innings total to send their captain into retirement with a win.
"It would be a phenomenal effort but we'll just have to see how we go in the first session," said Katich.
"We like to play positively and if we get through that then we'll just have to reassess it. If you don't believe then you have no chance."
