By itself, their 72-run win over Australia, the undisputed World champions, with a day to spare in the third Test was a massive achievement. In the context of the events of the preceding fortnight and the fact that it came on a supposedly Aussie-friendly surface, the triumph assumes even more significant proportions, throwing open a series that appeared headed in only one direction.

On a tense penultimate day where Ricky Ponting's men battled away manfully without ever seriously threatening India, Kumble marshalled his resources admirably yet again, finding a man for every occasion, a hero for every mini-crisis. Australia found the task of mounting their biggest run chase ever a mountain too huge to conquer, bowled out for 340 late in the evening after beginning day four at a tricky 65 for two.

Nowhere near close to as exceptional as in the first innings, India's young quicks did more than enough to scuttle Aussie designs of a most improbable win. Ishant Sharma was awesome in a sensational first spell when he put Ponting through a searching examination, tying up arguably the world's greatest batsman in knots and reducing him to a hesitant, doubt-filled pale shadow of the imperious destroyer he otherwise is.

Irfan Pathan, man of the match for his significant strikes with the new ball and handy contributions with the bat, bowled only ten overs on the day. But he had enough time to deliver — with the second new ball — the final, decisive strike to end a exhilarating ninth-wicket association between tailenders Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark, who rode their luck handsomely to raise the first flurry of doubts in the Indian camp.

Leader of the pack
Rudra Pratap Singh, hailed as the leader of the pack by his captain, alternated between the profligate and the potent, his dismissal of Mike Hussey 20 minutes after lunch plucking out the one Australian capable of batting long and letting the innings revolve around him. Having done the bulk of the damage in the first innings, it was in the fitness of things that the 23-year-old finished off things; his dismissal of Shaun Tait, off-stump pegged back, triggered a rush of celebrations that showed exactly what this result meant to a team which has had its fair share of successes in recent times.

This wasn't about the pacers alone, though. The captain himself struck two telling blows, a little fortunate to trap Andrew Symonds leg before as the in-form all-rounder nicked the ball on to his pads, but all skill and guile as he befuddled a well-entrenched Michael Clarke with ripping turn and alarming bounce, setting up a flash stumping for Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

And what of Virender Sehwag? Brought on with tea imminent in what bordered on a stroke of genius from the skipper, the off-spinner bowled Adam Gilchrist round his legs with his third delivery, and scalped Brett Lee for good measure.

It was that sort of a day. India had the Midas touch, even if for nearly an hour, they were baulked by the ferocity with which Johnson and Clark came at them whilst adding 73 (78b).

Ishant’s role
Australian hopes had revolved around at least one — if not both — of overnight pair Ponting and Hussey going on to something big. It was clear from the off that the captain would play his natural free-stroking game and Hussey would embrace the anchor's role; they were doing a fair job of it, too, before Ishant hit his straps.

In one particular over, the day's ninth, the 19-year-old opened up Ponting like a can of beans, darting a few in, then shaping a couple away. Suddenly, the Indian intensity lifted, the mood around the ground changed, the Aussie captain wore a hunted, haunted look. There was no surprise — but a lot of justice — when he edged Ishant to Rahul Dravid at first slip. Strike one.

Clarke and Hussey were just engaging themselves in another steady association when Rudra Pratap struck with a marginal leg before decision. It knocked the stuffing out of Australia; Symonds and Gilchrist fell without hurting the Indians, leaving Clarke to plough a lone furrow, which he did admirably until Kumble nailed him.

It was all over, then, bar the shouting. Johnson and Clark threw their bats around, but India were not to be denied. Unlike Australia, whose bid for a record 17th straight win was disdainfully quashed by India. Team India actually, come to think of it.

Score board

INDIA (I Innings): 330 all out

AUSTRALIA (I Innings): 212 all out

INDIA (II Innings): 294 all out

AUSTRALIA (II Innings, o/n: 65/2):
Rogers c Dhoni b Pathan 15
(23m, 18b, 3x4)
Jaques c Jaffer b Pathan 16
(47m, 30b, 3x4)
Ponting c Dravid b Ishant 45
(142m, 71b, 6x4)
Hussey lbw RP Singh 46
(170m, 113b, 5x4)
Clarke st Dhoni b Kumble 81
(163m, 134b, 10x4)
Symonds lbw Kumble 12
(18m, 14b, 1x4, 1x6)
Gilchrist b Sehwag 15
(52m, 22b, 2x4)
Lee c Laxman b Sehwag 0
(7m, 6b)
Johnson (not out) 50
(101m, 80b, 5x4, 2x6)
Clark c Dhoni b RP Singh 32
(56m, 35b, 3x4, 1x6)
Tait b RP Singh 4
(12m, 8b, 1x4)

Extras (LB-6, W-8, NB-10) 24

Total (all out, 86.5 overs) 340

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Rogers), 2-43 (Jaques), 3-117 (Ponting), 4-159 (Hussey), 5-177 (Symonds), 6-227 (Gilchrist), 7-229 (Lee), 8-253 (Clarke), 9-326 (Clark).

Bowling: RP Singh 21.5-4-95-2 (w-3), Pathan 16-2-54-3, Ishant 17-0-63-1 (w-5, nb-7), Anil Kumble 24-2-98-2 (nb-3), Virender Sehwag 8-1-24-2.