India, who celebrated their 60th anniversary of independence from Britain yesterday, were hoping they would be victorious in the Third and final Test against England to secure a 2-0 win to add spice to their independence day celebrations.
But a dogged England fightback on the 5th and final day of the Test ensured that, as India could not get all the England batsmen out, time ran out and the match ended as a draw. India win the Test Series but only 1-0.
A 2-0 Series win for India would have propelled India up the World Rankings to join England in joint-second place. Instead they have to be content with joint-third place in the world rankings with Sri Lanka, with England second and World Cup 2007 winners Australia in first.
It is India's first Test Series win against England in England since 1986, and the first time England have been beaten in England since 2001.
THIRD NPOWER TEST, The Oval, day five:
RESULT
1st Innings
India 664
England 345
****************************
2nd Innings
India 180-6 declared
England 369-6
Game drawn. India win 3-game series 1-0.
By Sam Lyon
****************
Updated World Rankings (Test matches)
Rankings are according to Rating, not points
Australia: 3534 points/ Rating: 141
England: 3979 points/ Rating: 111
India: 3107 points/ Rating: 107
Sri Lanka: 2673 points/ Rating: 107
South Africa: 2759/ Rating: 102
Pakistan: 2573 points/ Rating: 99
New Zealand: 1481 points/ Rating: 99
West Indies: 1717 points/ Rating: 72
Bangladesh: 65 points/ Rating: 4
India secured their first series win in England since 1986
Kevin Pietersen hit his 10th Test ton to help England claim a draw at The Oval, but India still secured a first series win in England since 1986.
Resuming on 56-0, England never made a push for the 500 needed to level the series, Andrew Strauss's 113-ball 32 indicative of the hosts' approach.
But Pietersen (101) was in superb form and shared in stands of 66 and 144 with Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood.
He fell to Sree Santh (3-45) late, but Ian Bell's 67 helped England to 369-6.
It was a fine knock from the Warwickshire man, a welcome one in a second innings, and ensured England salvaged some pride from what is their first series defeat at home since 2001.
For their part, India's bowlers stuck to their task well, with Santh by far the most impressive.
It was the diminutive seamer who served warning of what was to come with the very first delivery of the day, getting one to swing back into Alastair Cook's pads that was only just missing leg-stump.
However, Cook and Strauss dug in well, refusing to play at anything wide of off-stump and getting firmly behind the straighter deliveries as they took their opening stand to 79.
Even two good lbw shouts from Zaheer Khan, the first against Cook going down leg and the second hitting Strauss outside the line, could not break their concentration and it looked like the openers might get to lunch unscathed.
Pietersen displayed good maturity in his belligerent ton at The Oval
But RP Singh's introduction provided an immediate breakthrough, Strauss suffering a lapse in concentration and edging an attempted force off the back foot to VVS Laxman at slip.
And when Strauss fell three overs later, clipping a leg glance straight to Laxman at leg gully, England were tottering.
Pietersen and Vaughan restored order, though, mixing up good defence with the odd boundary before lunch, Vaughan in particular driving a couple superbly through the covers.
He got a life on 18 when Rahul Dravid shelled a simple chance at slip off Kumble, before he eventually fell following a 10-minute delay for poor light, flailing unwisely at a wide one from Santh.
However, if India were hoping that wicket would spark an England collapse, they were frustrated as Pietersen and Collingwood knuckled down.
The former enjoyed some luck when a Sachin Tendulkar ripper flew through his defence but missed the stumps, while Mahendra Dhoni put Collingwood down off the same bowler.
But Collingwood was at his pugnacious best, striking five boundaries in his 81-ball 40.
And Pietersen batted against type for the majority of his innings, playing conservatively in the face of increased vocal provocation from the Indian fielders.
The South-African born batsman did up the ante after tea, even after Collingwood had been trapped plumb lbw with Santh's first delivery with the new ball.
He brought up his hundred off 155 balls, including 18 fours - the second 50 of which came off just 47 balls.
A lapse in concentration did for him four balls later, the 27-year-old edging a rising Santh delivery behind, but Bell, playing with a fluency that belied England's precarious position, and Matt Prior shared a stand of 74 to effectively bat India out of the game.
Even when Bell fell five overs from the end, Anil Kumble trapping him lbw on the sweep, India were unable to force a result - Ryan Sidebottom and Prior batting through without great alarm to deny the tourists.
The impressive Sree Santh appeals for the wicket of Alastair Cook but is denied as India's attack make a positive start
------------------
Cook knuckles down after surviving the lbw appeal as England's openers look to frustrate the tourists
--------------------
India make the first breakthrough of the morning as Andrew Strauss edges RP Singh to slip for 32 with England 79-1
--------------------
Anil Kumble then has Cook caught at leg slip for 43 to leave England struggling on 86-2
---------------------------
Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan resume for England after lunch facing the uphill task of trying to salvage a draw
---------------------
Vaughan bats sensibly before inexplicably edging Santh to slip, where he is caught by Dhoni
----------------------
Pietersen reaches 50 but India remain on course for their first series win in England since 1986
-----------------------
The tourists move closer to victory when Santh strikes with his first delivery with the new ball to trap Paul Collingwood lbw
-----------------------
Pietersen completes a century - his 10th Test hundred - as England cling to their faint hopes of avoiding defeat
--------------------
But Pietersen is removed by Santh just four balls later and England look doomed
-------------------
England rally and Ian Bell makes 67 to
--------------------
Ryan Sidebottom and Matt Prior battle to help England secure a draw, but India are still able to celebrate winning the series
news.bbc.co.uk/sport
But a dogged England fightback on the 5th and final day of the Test ensured that, as India could not get all the England batsmen out, time ran out and the match ended as a draw. India win the Test Series but only 1-0.
A 2-0 Series win for India would have propelled India up the World Rankings to join England in joint-second place. Instead they have to be content with joint-third place in the world rankings with Sri Lanka, with England second and World Cup 2007 winners Australia in first.
It is India's first Test Series win against England in England since 1986, and the first time England have been beaten in England since 2001.
THIRD NPOWER TEST, The Oval, day five:
RESULT
1st Innings
India 664
England 345
****************************
2nd Innings
India 180-6 declared
England 369-6
Game drawn. India win 3-game series 1-0.
By Sam Lyon
****************
Updated World Rankings (Test matches)
Rankings are according to Rating, not points
Australia: 3534 points/ Rating: 141
England: 3979 points/ Rating: 111
India: 3107 points/ Rating: 107
Sri Lanka: 2673 points/ Rating: 107
South Africa: 2759/ Rating: 102
Pakistan: 2573 points/ Rating: 99
New Zealand: 1481 points/ Rating: 99
West Indies: 1717 points/ Rating: 72
Bangladesh: 65 points/ Rating: 4
India secured their first series win in England since 1986
Kevin Pietersen hit his 10th Test ton to help England claim a draw at The Oval, but India still secured a first series win in England since 1986.
Resuming on 56-0, England never made a push for the 500 needed to level the series, Andrew Strauss's 113-ball 32 indicative of the hosts' approach.
But Pietersen (101) was in superb form and shared in stands of 66 and 144 with Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood.
He fell to Sree Santh (3-45) late, but Ian Bell's 67 helped England to 369-6.
It was a fine knock from the Warwickshire man, a welcome one in a second innings, and ensured England salvaged some pride from what is their first series defeat at home since 2001.
For their part, India's bowlers stuck to their task well, with Santh by far the most impressive.
It was the diminutive seamer who served warning of what was to come with the very first delivery of the day, getting one to swing back into Alastair Cook's pads that was only just missing leg-stump.
However, Cook and Strauss dug in well, refusing to play at anything wide of off-stump and getting firmly behind the straighter deliveries as they took their opening stand to 79.
Even two good lbw shouts from Zaheer Khan, the first against Cook going down leg and the second hitting Strauss outside the line, could not break their concentration and it looked like the openers might get to lunch unscathed.
Pietersen displayed good maturity in his belligerent ton at The Oval
But RP Singh's introduction provided an immediate breakthrough, Strauss suffering a lapse in concentration and edging an attempted force off the back foot to VVS Laxman at slip.
And when Strauss fell three overs later, clipping a leg glance straight to Laxman at leg gully, England were tottering.
Pietersen and Vaughan restored order, though, mixing up good defence with the odd boundary before lunch, Vaughan in particular driving a couple superbly through the covers.
He got a life on 18 when Rahul Dravid shelled a simple chance at slip off Kumble, before he eventually fell following a 10-minute delay for poor light, flailing unwisely at a wide one from Santh.
However, if India were hoping that wicket would spark an England collapse, they were frustrated as Pietersen and Collingwood knuckled down.
The former enjoyed some luck when a Sachin Tendulkar ripper flew through his defence but missed the stumps, while Mahendra Dhoni put Collingwood down off the same bowler.
But Collingwood was at his pugnacious best, striking five boundaries in his 81-ball 40.
And Pietersen batted against type for the majority of his innings, playing conservatively in the face of increased vocal provocation from the Indian fielders.
The South-African born batsman did up the ante after tea, even after Collingwood had been trapped plumb lbw with Santh's first delivery with the new ball.
He brought up his hundred off 155 balls, including 18 fours - the second 50 of which came off just 47 balls.
A lapse in concentration did for him four balls later, the 27-year-old edging a rising Santh delivery behind, but Bell, playing with a fluency that belied England's precarious position, and Matt Prior shared a stand of 74 to effectively bat India out of the game.
Even when Bell fell five overs from the end, Anil Kumble trapping him lbw on the sweep, India were unable to force a result - Ryan Sidebottom and Prior batting through without great alarm to deny the tourists.
The impressive Sree Santh appeals for the wicket of Alastair Cook but is denied as India's attack make a positive start
------------------
Cook knuckles down after surviving the lbw appeal as England's openers look to frustrate the tourists
--------------------
India make the first breakthrough of the morning as Andrew Strauss edges RP Singh to slip for 32 with England 79-1
--------------------
Anil Kumble then has Cook caught at leg slip for 43 to leave England struggling on 86-2
---------------------------
Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan resume for England after lunch facing the uphill task of trying to salvage a draw
---------------------
Vaughan bats sensibly before inexplicably edging Santh to slip, where he is caught by Dhoni
----------------------
Pietersen reaches 50 but India remain on course for their first series win in England since 1986
-----------------------
The tourists move closer to victory when Santh strikes with his first delivery with the new ball to trap Paul Collingwood lbw
-----------------------
Pietersen completes a century - his 10th Test hundred - as England cling to their faint hopes of avoiding defeat
--------------------
But Pietersen is removed by Santh just four balls later and England look doomed
-------------------
England rally and Ian Bell makes 67 to
--------------------
Ryan Sidebottom and Matt Prior battle to help England secure a draw, but India are still able to celebrate winning the series
news.bbc.co.uk/sport