Gavaskar leads Indian praise after Perth test win

NEW DELHI: India hailed their team's superb win over Australia in the third test in Perth on Saturday, with former batting great Sunil Gavaskar dubbing the performance as one of the greatest in the nation's test history.   

India, the last team to beat Australia on home turf in 2003, won by 72 runs to dash the home team''s bid to break their own world record of 16 consecutive test wins.   

"To win over here, this has got to be without doubt the greatest win Indian cricket has had over the last 35-40 years." Gavaskar, who was commentating on the match, said.   

Australia, chasing 413 for victory, folded with over a day to spare. The victory was particularly sweet for the Indians as it was achieved barely a week after the second test in Sydney ended in controversy.   

Gavaskar rated the performance, India''s fifth win on Australian soil, ahead of memorable 1-0 series victories in West Indies and England in 1971.   

Fans gathered in small numbers in many Indian cities for impromptu street celebrations with many reaching teenaged paceman Ishant Sharma''s New Delhi residence to congratulate his family.   

Sharma provided the first breakthrough by removing Australia skipper Ricky Ponting in the morning session on the fourth day.   

Another former skipper, Ajit Wadekar, said: "It is a really great win. Against the backdrop of what happened in Sydney, to come out of that and to play so positively is fantastic."   

India had almost pulled out of the series after their defeat in Sydney. The second test was marred by many umpiring errors and the Indians were further angered when a three-test ban was imposed on spinner Harbhajan Singh for his alleged racial abuse of all rounder Andrew Symonds. Harbhajan has appealed against the decision.   

Wadekar praised Kumble''s gamble to bat first on a pitch expected to favour fast bowling and his inspired move to introduce occasional off-spinner Virender Sehwag after lunch on Saturday.   

Sehwag bowled the dangerous Adam Gilchrist round his legs in his first over as he picked two quick wickets to firmly turn the game India's way.

"We showed so much positive attitude," Wadekar said. "Kumble showed tremendous controlled aggression."   

"Every session was almost ours," he said.

"This has restored the confidence of the players."   

The fourth and final test starts in Adelaide on Thursday.