Tendulkar misses 100th ton but India win first test against West Indies

New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Sachin Tendulkar's quest for a record 100th international ton continued, but India rode on his fluent 76 to script an admirable come-from-behind five-wicket victory in a cricket test match over the West Indies with more than four sessions to spare here today. Chasing 276 for victory, VVS Laxman (58 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (0) were at the crease when India successfully completed the chase to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, on the fourth day of the match. Off-spinner R Ashwin, who took a match haul of nine wickets for 128, including six in the second innings, also played a big role in India's triumph as he became only the third player to win the man-of-the-match award on debut. Starting from his overnight score of 33, Tendulkar looked set to achieve the incredible feat of scoring his 100th international century till Devendra Bishoo spoilt his plan with a well-disguised googly, leaving over 10,000 spectators at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium stunned. India were just 43 runs away from achieving a hard-fought come-from-behind victory and take a 1-0 lead, when Tendulkar made his way back to the dressing room, much to the disappointment of the crowd. But Laxman stood firm to guide the Indians with yet another half-century in the fourth innings of a match. He struck six boundaries and faced 105 balls. This was the second best chase on Indian soil, equalling the one by the West Indies, incidentally at this very ground in 1987, when Vivian Richards stroked his way to a century to guide his team to victory. The highest remains the 387 for four India scored against England in Chennai in 2008-09. Bowled out for 209 in their first innings, India conceded a vital 95-run lead to the visitors, but rode on man of the match off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's six for 47 on debut to launch a strong comeback yesterday. Brief Scores: West Indies: 1st Innings 304 and 2nd Innings 180; India 1st Innings 209 and 2nd Innings 276 for five. PTI Caption for pic: Batsman Sachin Tendulkar playing a shot in India's second innings on Wednesday. PTI Photo