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NEW DELHI: Sachin Tendulkar fell short of his 100th international ton but his sparkling 76 helped India beat West Indies by five wickets in the first test on Wednesday.
Tendulkar, who reached 15,000 test runs on Tuesday, collected his 62nd test half-century as India chased down the 276-run victory target just after the lunch break with the loss of five wickets.
Senior batsman Vangipurappu Laxman (58 not out) also chipped in with a crucial half-century as India scored the 124 runs they required on day four of the test match at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
Laxman scored the winning run, flicking Kraiggg Brathwaite and completing a single. It was a much-needed win for India, who lost their top test ranking after a 4-0 whitewash in England.
Resuming on 152 for two, the hosts received an early jolt when Fidel Edwards bowled Rahul Dravid (31) in the second over of the day.
Tendulkar and Laxman, however, scored freely to consolidate India's position. Laxman elegantly flicked off his pads whenever Edwards strayed and also drove with elan.
Tendulkar also found regular boundaries and brought up his fifty with a single off Edwards.
The batting great drove Ravi Rampaul for two boundaries in the same over and looked set for his much-awaited 100th ton before being trapped leg before by spinner Devendra Bishoo.
Tendulkar's 148-ball knock was studded with 10 boundaries.
Kolkata hosts the second test from November 14, while the third starts on November 22 in Mumbai.
