Cricket: Aussies' worst test streak in 22 years

India's Sachin Tendulkar holds the Border Gavasker trophy after his team won the test series against Australia. Photo / Getty Images

Australia will enter the Ashes series saddled with their worst test match losing streak for 22 years after India glided to a seven-wicket victory on the final day of the second test at Bangalore.

Not since the first three matches of the 1988-89 home series against the West Indies have Australia lost three in a row, but they have now managed to do so again by failing to crack the Indian batting on a wearing pitch.

The result had a further Ashes implication, dropping Australia down to fifth in the ICC world rankings, behind England.

"I knew it was a long time ago. I wasn't playing in 1988, although it feels like it," said Australian captain Ricky Ponting when told of the record.

"We have to get off that train, for sure. We have to start winning test matches.

"It's going to be interesting to see how the group bounces back now.

"There are some issues there we need to deal with.

"There's no doubt we've got some work to do on, one, how to bat against reverse swing bowling and two, how to deliver when we've got the ball in our hand."

India maintained their comfortable hold on the No.1 ranking, a deserved accolade on the strength of a commanding fourth innings chase.

Despite the early loss of Virender Sehwag to the bowling of Ben Hilfenhaus (1-27), the Indian pursuit was both nerveless and rapid, with the young duo of Cheteshwar Pujara (72) and Murali Vijay (37) wresting control.

Sachin Tendulkar (53no to follow his first innings 214) then shepherded India to a 2-0 series win alongside Rahul Dravid (21no), who had been demoted to No. 5 in the order for Pujara.

Aside from the unstinting Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson (0-42) and debutant Peter George (0-29) could not find their best, while Nathan Hauritz (1-76) was attacked mercilessly.

India's target was kept below the 216 chased so narrowly in Mohali last week by the reverse swing of Zaheer Khan (3-41) and Sreesanth (2-48), who accounted for the final three wickets for just six runs.

Resuming at 7-202 with a lead of 185, the Australians added only a further 21 to their overnight tally as the ball swerved about treacherously.

India's chase began with a boundary to Vijay from Hilfenhaus, and in the second over Australian hands went to heads when Mike Hussey grassed a difficult chance from Sehwag.

However the tourists have done very well to plan for Sehwag in this series, and once again he was out to a lifting delivery, this time snicking Hilfenhaus behind where Tim Paine took a sharp catch.

Surprisingly the new batsman was not longtime No.3 Dravid but Pujara, dismissed cheaply in the first innings.

Given a chance here, he was quickly into stride, punching Johnson through the covers and then launching a murderous assault on Hauritz.

His first over went for 12 runs and second for 10, as the hosts galloped to 1-73 in a mere 12 overs at the interval.

Ponting resorted to George and allrounder Shane Watson (1-20) after lunch, and had success when Vijay was lbw to the latter.

That brought Tendulkar to the crease, and he was to continue batting in the same regal manner of the first innings.

At the other end Pujara was barely troubled and it was a shock when he played down the wrong line at Hauritz and was bowled.

Dravid appeared in good touch when he walked out, and he and Tendulkar collected the final runs without any of the tension that had wracked the final moments of the epic first test at Mohali.

Australia
First innings 478

India
First innings 495

Australia
Second innings (overnight 202-7)
S. Watson lbw b Ojha 32
S. Katich c Dhoni b Harbhajan 24
R. Ponting lbw b Zaheer 72
M. Clarke st Dhoni b Ojha 3
M. Hussey lbw b Ojha 20
M. North b Harbhajan 3
T. Paine c Dhoni b Sreesanth 23
M. Johnson b Zaheer 11
N. Hauritz not out 21
B. Hilfenhaus b Sreesanth 0
P. George c Dhoni b Zaheer 0
Extras: (b1, lb5, w3, nb5) 14
Total (all out, 75.2 overs) 223

Fall of wickets: 1-58 (Watson), 2-58 (Katich), 3-65 (Clarke), 4-126 (Hussey), 5-131 (North), 6-181 (Ponting), 7-185 (Paine), 8-217 (Johnson), 8-218 (Hilfenhaus), 10-223 (George).

Bowling: Zaheer 11.2-1-41-3 (w3), Sreesanth 14-2-48-2 (nb3), Ojha 25-5-57-3 (nb2), Harbhajan 21-2-63-2, Sehwag 4-0-8-0

India
Second innings
M. Vijay lbw b Watson 37
V. Sehwag c Paine b Hilfenhaus 7
C. Pujara b Hauritz 72
S. Tendulkar not out 53
R. Dravid not out 21
Extras: (b8, lb5, w4) 17
Total (for three wickets, 45 overs) 207

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Sehwag), 2-89 (Vijay), 3-146 (Pujara).

Bowling: Hilfenhaus 7-0-27-1, Johnson 14-4-42-0 (w3), Hauritz 12-0-76-1, George 7-0-29-0 (w1), Watson 5-0-20-1

- AAP