MUNI THE BOSS

Harbhajan Singh realised every bowler's dream of making a Test hundred and VVS Laxman burnished his already lustrous second-innings record to steer India to safety on the final day of the first Test. Chris Martin and New Zealand couldn't replicate the venom with which they had bowled on Sunday and their chances of victory vanished with the 163-run association between Harbhajan and Laxman.

The injuries to Hamish Bennett and Jesse Ryder didn't help New Zealand either. A serious push for victory against the world's No. 1 side appeared difficult to sustain once Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum, with 12 overs of international experience between them, were given the ball in the morning.

In his previous two Tests, Laxman had turned in contrasting match-winning efforts on the final day. In Ahmedabad, he showed his match-saving skills. It was hard to guess from his unperturbed demeanour and batting that India were battling for survival, and he repeatedly worked the spinners towards sweeper cover and deep point to make his runs. His first violent shot was a sweep that nearly carried to the midwicket boundary to bring up his half-century.