India started the final day of the first Test against Australia on the brink of victory after reducing the tourists to 232-9 on Monday.
Nathan Lyon fell early in the morning session as Australia were dismissed for 241, with Moises Henriques left stranded on 81 not out.
India needed just 50 runs for victory and despite losing both openers, Sachin Tendulkar and Cheteshwar Pujara were able to guide their team to an eight-wicket win shortly before lunch.
Read how India took the lead in the Test series below.
Good morning everybody. Be honest, did you think this game would go into a fifth day? At one point yesterday it looked as though India would complete an innings victory but Moises Henriques had other plans and it's his counter attack which has held off the champagne moment for the hosts.
It's surely inevitable that India will record that victory today but they must break the 11th wicket partnership between Henriques and Lyon first. Australia only lead by 40 and India will want to end the resistance as early as possible this morning.
Henriques deserves a century on his debut. He's only 25 runs away but starting again this morning could be difficult against the Indian spinners.
The inquest seems to have already begun in Australia, even before the team has lost the first Test. Plenty of media outlets are suggesting that two spinners should have been selected. It's worth remembering that England were comfortably beaten in the first Test against India before Christmas and still managed to record a series victory.
In truth, Australia are lacking in the spin department and have done since Shane Warne's retirement. Lyon seems to struggle with consistency but there aren't too many contenders to replace him. Xavier Doherty is in the touring group but neither seem to be in the same league as any of India's slower bowlers.
We're only five minutes away from play in Chennai. Can Henriques reach three figures on debut? Will India record victory before lunch?
The players are out in the middle and the start of play is imminent. It will be Jadeja who opens the bowling on the final day.
Great start to the day by Jadeja. Henriques doesn't pick the first two balls and his innings almost comes to an end when a thick inside edge misses leg-stump by about an inch. The all-rounder can't find the single he wants from the over, meaning Lyon will be on strike.
Lyon shows good technique in defence and easily blocks a maiden over from Ashwin. India need to go back to basics and not try to bowl the magic delivery.
Henriques nudges a single to point early in Jadeja's over. The spinner varies his pace in the over but Lyon is equal to the threat, whipping the ball through mid-wicket for two runs. Solid start from the tourists.
Ashwin finds some big bounce in his new over but Henriques stands tall to cut the ball behind point for a single. Lyon resorts back to his defensive ways, showing the Indian fielders his textbook block on more than one occasion.
Superb over from Jadeja as he races through another maiden, coming agonisingly close to finding the edge of Henriques from the final ball.
Lyon is caused problems by Ashwin in the over and he is lucky not to prod the ball to Vijay at short leg. A quicker ball ends the over and Ashwin is inches away from hitting leg stump. Maiden over.
Henriques calls for two to deep square leg but he can't get back for a second and settles for a single. Lyon can do nothing about a delivery which bounces and turns before beating his outside edge. Gasps from the fielders close to the bat but Australia survive.
A fuller delivery is driven into the gap on the off-side, bringing the all-rounder two runs. One more is added with a push to deep mid-wicket and Lyon is confident enough to take a single from the final ball of the over.
WICKET! Lyon (11) c Vijay b Jadeja
Jadeja finally ends the Australian innings, finding Lyon's inside edge to allow Vijay to take a good catch at short leg via a deflection off the pad. India require 50 runs to win the first Test match.
Henriques deserved a century for the way he applied himself during that innings but it wasn't to be in the end. India will be delighted to have found that wicket so early in the session.
How will Australia approach the next challenge? Any wicket should be considered a bonus but removing a couple of Indian batsmen could place some seeds of doubt in the minds of the home side's players.
We know Sehwag will only bat in one way, meaning these 50 runs could be scored pretty quickly. Vijay will be targeting an unbeaten score but both openers were dismissed cheaply in the first innings.
The Australians are back out in the middle and they are closely followed by India's two openers. It looks like Pattinson will open the bowling. India need just 50 to win, here we go.
Pattinson starts the over with a sharp bouncer which just misses Vijay's helmet but Wade can't take the diving catch behind the stumps and India have four byes. Apart from the extras, it's a good over from Pattinson as he sends down five dot balls.
Lyon opens the bowling with Pattinson and is immediately taken for a single behind square on the leg-side by Sehwag. Vijay looks confident against spin and shows his class by getting off the mark with a six straight down the ground. Great start by India, who need just 39 more runs to win.
Pattinson is finding a good line just outside off stump and manages to find Sehwag's edge. However, there's no third slip and India's opener collects four runs. A single is then taken to square leg.
WICKET! Vijay (6) c Henriques b Pattinson
Vijay clearly wanted to be positive but his innings comes to an end when he drives the ball into the air, with Henriques taking a good catch above his head at cover.
Pujara is the new batsman but it's Sehwag who is on strike at the beginning of Lyon's new over. A single is nudged off the thigh pad from the second ball. Pujara is off the mark with a couple of runs to third man. A sharply turning delivery flicks off Pujara's glove but Wade has no chance of taking the catch behind the stumps.
Sehwag drives through cover for two runs at the begging of a new Pattinson over. There's another slice of luck for Sehwag as he edges the ball over the slips for four more runs. Two runs past point makes it eight from the over, India need just 23 runs for victory.
Lyon continues his spell and he's looked dangerous in these first few overs. Pujara decides he should be positive, taking a couple of steps down the pitch before driving the ball through cover for two runs. Lyon finds some extra bounce but a deflection off the glove lands safely.
Siddle is given a bowl as he comes on to replace Pattinson. The pace bowler is met with a perfect straight drive by Sehwag, who adds four runs to his tally. Siddle does respond well but still can;t manage to find a way through Sehwag's defence.
Pujara uses his feet well to flick Lyon into the gap at mid-wicket, earning two runs. Another dance down the track follows but the right-hander gets himself in a tangle and is lucky to survive. A lofted drive allows the same batsman to claim a single to cover before Sehwag ends the over with a block.
Good over from Siddle as he delivers six almost identical balls to complete a maiden. The pace man's efforts will surely be in a losing cause as India only require 14 more runs.
WICKET! Sehwag (19) c Clarke b Lyon
Sehwag is forced back to the dressing room when he edges a Lyon delivery straight to Clarke at slip. The opener will be bitterly disappointed to not be out in the middle for the victory but Lyon deserves that wicket.
Tendulkar comes to the crease and the cheers just get louder as the little master hits his first ball straight over mid-wicket for six. Wow, just when I though the Indians couldn't be happier, Tendulkar repeats the shot and launches a second six. India need just two more to win and Tendulkar reduces that deficit with a single to square leg.
Clarke brings all of his fielders in close to prevent Tendulkar from claiming the single needed for victory. Siddle bowls with great control in the over and completes a maiden to delay the India celebrations, for now.
India win the first Test by eight wickets
Clarke can do nothing at slip to prevent Pujara from picking up a single and confirming victory for the hosts. Chennai goes crazy and India take a 1-0 lead in the series.
What a superb performance from India. Plenty of impressive displays to be celebrated, with Ashwin's 12 wickets and Kohli's century being particular highlights. However, the outstanding performance came from Dhoni, whose double century took the game away from Australia and provided the platform for his side to claim a brilliant victory.
We didn't expect it to take long this morning and it hasn't, with India recording the win before lunch. Thank you for joining me during this Test but make sure you stay with Sports Mole throughout the series as Australia look to recover from this crushing defeat. Goodbye everyone.
Written by
Callum Mulvihill
Callum Mulvihill
