It was a great team effort: Tendulkar

India beat Australia in the Mohali Test by one wicket and registered a comprehensive seven-wicket win today to complete their first ever series whitewash of Australia.
Tendulkar was adjudged both Man-of-the-Match and Man-of-the-Series for scoring 403 runs, highest in the series.

"It was a fantastic series. I would like to congratulate the whole team. (VVS) Laxman helped us win the first Test at Mohali with Ishant Sharma. And in this match, Murali Vijay, Pragyan Ojha, Harbhajan and S Sreesanth put up great efforts. It was a great team effort," Tendulkar said after India's win.

Asked if his side had doubts chasing 207 for a win on the last day, Tendulkar said youngsters played well under trying situations and singled out Pujara for special praise.
"It was going to be difficult. Chasing a 200-plus on a track where the ball is going up and down, it was tough. Cheteshwar Pujara showed a lot of character. His partnership with Murali Vijay was crucial. The team was determined," he said.

Pujara made a fluent 72 on debut and shared two crucial partnerships with Vijay and Tendulkar in India's comfortable win.

Tendulkar is in red-hot form these days as runs continue to flow from his bat, but he was not interested in speaking much about that and prefers that his bat does all the talking.
"I don't like to count, I am just happy to score. Let others count. There are still some niggle but you forget once you cross the rope. Generally working hard. The trainers are keeping me fit," he said.

IndiaN skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni paid rich tribute to his bowling unit saying the series belongs to them.

"I am not doing great as a captain by losing tosses. But the bowlers stepped up the performance, took up the responsibility. This series belongs to bowlers. Ishant Sharma bowled well in the second innings of the first Test. The fast bowlers did well when nothing was happening, they came up well," Dhoni, who has now lost 10 successive toss, said.

Like Tendulkar, Dhoni also said all the team members played important part in the series win.

"Sachin played well throughout the series. At the same time the youngsters did well. Raina, Vijay, Pujara all did well," he said.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting was naturally disappointed with the loss.

"We would like to have some 50 more runs and declared (accordingly). Pujara and Vijay batted well," he said.

Talking about his team, Ponting said, "Mitchell Johnson was exceptional. Shane Watson also bowled well but we had opportunity (in first Test) and should have grabbed that."