India and South Africa Test Series have ended 1-1

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni looked forward to new challenges after his side validated their ranking as the number one Test team by earning a share of the series against 2nd-ranked South Africa at Newlands on Thursday.

The third and final Test ended in a draw when play was called off eight overs early with India on 166 for three after being set to make 340 to win.

Opening batsman Gautam Gambhir guided India to safety with a careful innings of 64.

"We're happy with our performance," said MS Dhoni, pointing out that India were possibly one wicket away from being able to force a win when South Africa were reeling at 130 for six on the 4th day.

"If we could have got that one wicket we could have done something very special," he said.

Dhoni said he felt a shared series was a fair result and that his team were less concerned with the world ranking than with the process of preparing and playing well.

"Series between the top teams are very good for cricket," he said. "This year we go to England and then to Australia, so we will have played all the other top three teams."

Dhoni said there was always room for improvement. "We need to have a bigger pool of players because of the amount of games we play, especially fast bowlers, who are always likely to have injuries. It will be nice to have more fast bowlers who can do well in all conditions when we go to England and Australia."

South African captain Graeme Smith was less satisfied after India batted out the final day, scoring 166 for three after being set to make 344.

"It was a pity we couldn't close them out today but it has been a tremendous Test Series, very competitive."

But Smith acknowledged that South Africa were in trouble on the 4th day before Jacques Kallis made his second century of the match despite struggling with a side injury.

"Jacques was an inspiration to all of us in the dressing room," said Smith. "We could see how much pain he was in."

Kallis said the injury had got worse during his innings. Initially expected to be out of action for two weeks, he said he would rest for four weeks, "then start focusing on the World Cup".

The World Cup in Asia starts on February 19.

India won Durban Test to set up series decider

Dale Steyn hit the first two boundaries of the day before he edged Khan to gully after making 10.

Ashwell Prince made 39 not out and there was a gusty innings of 20 by Morne Morkel, before South Africa's resistance was ended when last man Lonwaba Tsotsobe was run out by a sharp return from short leg fielder Cheteshwar Pujara. It was Sreesanth's third wicket of the innings and came during a fine spell of one for seven in five overs from the start of play.

South Africa's hopes were well snuffed out by two debatable leg before wicket decisions in the space of three overs.

De Villiers, who had looked solid in making 33, was struck on the pad when he pushed forward to off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

He appeared dismayed when he was given out by umpire Asad Rauf and replays suggested the ball would have gone over the top of the stumps by several centimetres. But India's bowlers shot out South Africa for 131 to take control of the match and an innings of 96 by man of the match VVS Laxman meant that South Africa had to score by far the highest total of the match to snatch victory.

The win ensures that India will retain their No. 1 ranking in Test cricket, irrespective of the result in the 3rd and final Test.

Second-placed South Africa wanted to win the series 3-0 to displace the tourists at the top of the rankings.

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth struck the first, crucial blow of the day when he produced a vicious bouncer that star batsman Kallis could only fend off his glove to Virender Sehwag at gully.

Kallis was out for 17 after he and De Villiers had added 12 runs in half an hour to the overnight total of 111 for three. India completed an 87-run win on the fourth day of the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Wednesday to set up a series decider in the final match in Cape Town.

Set a target of 303, South Africa were bowled out for 215.

The match finished an hour after lunch but South Africa's hopes were effectively ended when overnight batsmen Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers were dismissed in the first hour of the day.

It was a remarkable fightback by India, who lost the first Test in Centurion by an innings and 25 runs and whose chances seemed to have nosedived when they were sent in at Kingsmead and bowled out for 205.

South Africa wrap up victory over India

Fast bowlers Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn took a wicket respectively as South Africa completed victory by an innings and 25 runs on the 5th day of the first Test Match against India at SuperSport Park on Monday.

Sachin Tendulkar was left stranded on 111 not out as India were bowled out for 459, losing their last two wickets for five runs in 26 minutes and 35 balls.

Morkel had Sreesanth caught at 3rd slip before Steyn had last man Jaidev Unadkat caught at gully to give South Africa a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series against the team ranked number one in Test cricket.

South Africa were always in control after winning the toss and sending India in to bat after rain delayed the start on the first day.

Morkel and Steyn had ripped through India's batting on a lively pitch, dismissing the visitors for 136 in their 1st innings. Taking full advantage of improved batting conditions, South Africa piled up 620 for four declared, with Jacques Kallis hitting a maiden Test double century and AB de Villiers racing to South Africa's fastest Test century.

Faced with a first innings defict of 484, India put up a much-improved performance in the 2nd innings to give them heart going into the remaining two matches of the series, in Durban and Cape Town.

Openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag both made half-centuries before Tendulkar and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni put on 172 for the 7th wicket to ensure that the match would extend into a 5th day.

Tendulkar went on to record his 50th test century.

India resumed at 454 for eight, still trailing by 30 runs.

Morkel struck with the 21st ball of the day when Sreesanth edged a lifting delivery to de Villiers at third slip.

Unadkat could only find a lifting ball from Steyn to gully where Ashwell Prince completed a simple catch.

The second Test starts in Durban on Sunday.

Zaheer Khan's fitness remains a concern

The head of the Indian bowling attack, Zaheer Khan picked to not go through a full practice session with the Indian squad, raising concerns about his injury. Zaheer Khan only went through fitness drills with Paul Chapman, the team physio while the rest of the Indian team were going through their first full practice session in South Africa.

Reportedly, the move was to make sure that Zaheer does not aggravate the injury as scans failed to pin point what the problem was.

A team source said "As of now he is not fit, there are still 3 days to go to the Test, so we didn't want to take any risks." The Indian team was seen at the Supersport Park in Centurion, but Zaheer was going through light fitness drills with Chapman and was frequently holding on to the groin area.

The injury could be results of Zaheer suffering niggle in the 4th ODI against New Zealand at Bangalore. Zaheer was seen holding on to the groin area after bowling the 49th over.

Zaheer had missed the 3rd Test and the first two ODIs against New Zealand with a groin injury. He also didn't play in the 5th ODI in Chennai.

Zaheer has missed out on quite a lot of cricket this year due to injuries. He missed the tour of Sri Lanka with a shoulder injury. He played some T20 cricket in the Champions League Twenty20 following that up with a good performance in the Test series against the Aussies, but got injured again.

India have Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat to choose from in case Zaheer is ruled out with injury.