Buoyed by their stunning 72-run win in Perth inside four days, India have set themselves to square the four-Test series against Australia.
PERTH: Buoyed by their stunning 72-run win in Perth inside four days, India have set themselves to square the four-Test series against Australia.
The fourth and final Test begins at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday and the Indians, winners on their previous visit to the ground, are determined to make it successive wins against the world's best team.
India were the last side to deny the Australians a home series win, when they held them 1-1 in 2003-2004.
Despite being 2-0 down going into the Perth Test at a venue where few expected them to win, Indian captain Anil Kumble said they arrived with a belief they could win the last two matches.
"We came here with the attitude to win a series in Australia, but we can only level the series," he said.
"That was the talk before this Test match and I'm delighted we've been able to win this Test. We will take this confidence to Adelaide and are looking forward to winning that and levelling the series.
"It's important that we take this momentum forward and ensure that we level the series. That will be the best result after what happened in the first two Test matches."
Kumble said his team made a conscious decision to move on after the dramas of the second Test in Sydney, where they were within a few minutes of saving a draw, suffered with some poor umpiring and then had to contend with star spinner Harbhajan Singh being suspended for three matches.
He said the timing of the tour match in Canberra between Tests was perfect for the Indians, as it enabled them to regroup out of the spotlight.
"I think it was important to move on after what happened in Sydney in terms of all the other issues surrounding the game," he said.
"When we went to Canberra that was a good thing for us.
"We sat down there and discussed how we were going to go forward and that's when we decided we'd concentrate on cricket and leave the rest of the matters to whoever needs to handle it.
"It was important we focussed all our efforts on playing cricket.
"I'm really glad everyone responded and stepped up to the plate."
Kumble said he had never felt intimidated by the Australian team, but also conceded they were more vulnerable after champion bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne retired.
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