Ahmedabad, Nov 8: India began day five of the Ahmedabad Test, facing the prospect of an embarrassing defeat after Chris Martin’s superb spell late on Day 4 had left them perilously placed with a second innings score of 82 for 6. With a slender 28-run lead from the first innings not offering adequate cushion, the onus was on VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh to steer India out of troubled waters.

Laxman, India’s crisis man in recent times, played yet another chanceless innings in this context. Where his previous two second innings scores in Tests – 103* v Sri Lanka (Colombo - August 2010) and 73* v Australia (Mohali – October 2010) - had come with India winning the Test, his assured knock of 91 runs today ensured that the No.1 Test team of the world did not have to lose face in front of an average Kiwi side. He brought up his half-century after having played 154 deliveries and was given out LBW to Daniel Vettori even when replays showed that the ball had hit his bat.

Singh on the other hand lived dangerously. The ball often found the edge of his bat, but on each occasion he got away. Not afraid to play the big shot, he batted at a faster rate than Laxman, his half-century coming off just 78 deliveries. His partnership with Laxman brought India to a position of safety, an effort that added 163 runs for the seventh wicket, of which 94 alone were scored by Harbhajan. When Laxman fell with the score at 228, followed immediately after by Zaheer Khan (0), Harbhajan was six short of his maiden century in Test cricket. And when Daniel Vettori, having accounted for Laxman and Khan in his previous over, began his next over, Harbhajan hit a massive inside out shot over wide long-off for six to bring up his first Test century. It was a sight to behold as Harbhajan celebrated his effort by doing an impersonation of Sachin Tendulkar’s batting routine, to the delight of the fans and the little master himself.

India were bowled out for 266 after Ross Taylor accounted for both Singh’s (115) and S Sreesanth’s (4) wickets.

New Zealand were 22-1 with Brendon McCullum (11) and Walting (2) at the crease. Zaheer took the wicket of McIntosh.

Brief Score – India 1st innings 487 (Virender Sehwag 173, Daniel Vettori 4-118) and India 2nd innings 266 (Harbhajan Singh 115, VVS Laxman 91, Chris Martin 5-63), New Zealand 1st innings 459 (Kane Williamson 131, Pragyan Ojha 4-107), New Zealand 2nd innings

Result- Match ends in draw