India have secured a 2-1 series win against Australia after the fourth Test in Ahmedabad ended in a draw, with the hosts retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the fourth successive time.
After the first three Tests ended in less than three days on raging turners, the series finale was played on a lifeless pitch as just 22 wickets fell across 15 sessions.
Starting day five on Monday still trailing India by 91 runs, Australia were comfortably steered to safety by Travis Head (90) and Marnus Labuschange (63 not out) as the match was called off early with neither team capable of securing a victory.
The teams shook hands just an over after Indian number three Cheteshwar Pujara bowled the second over of his 102-Test career.
Virat Kohli was named player of the match for his gutsy, drought-breaking century knock in India's first innings.
Australia declared on 2-175 with Labuschange and Steve Smith (10 not out) at the crease after making 480 in their first innings when Usman Khawaja (180) and Cameron Green (114) scored memorable centuries.
But India batted even better, piling on 571 as Kohli (186) broke through for his first century in more than three years and young opener Shubman Gill scored an excellent 128.
Australia's regular number 11 Matt Kuhnemann was the only wicket to fall in the first session on Monday after the spinner was sent in as a nightwatchman on Sunday with Head in place of Khawaja.
The in-form opener is struggling with an unspecified leg injury after hurting himself in the field on Sunday and looked sore trying to run in the nets before play on day five.
Khawaja was only a chance to bat if Australia found themselves in serious trouble trying to save the match.
India retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy after winning the first two Tests of the four-match series.
Ravindra Jadeja (22 wickets at 18.86) and Ravichandran Ashwin (25 wickets at 17.28) were named joint players of the series for their phenomenal bowling efforts.
Australia could have secured a rare 2-2 series result with a win in Ahmedabad after their famous nine-wicket triumph in Indore in the third Test.
India won 2-1 the last time they hosted Australia in 2017, while they also secured memorable away series victories in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
But Australia and India will meet again in June with the powerhouse teams qualifying for the World Test Championship final at The Oval in London.
Australia's next Test tour to India is in 2027, with star players like Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc and Khawaja seriously unlikely to return in four years.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
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Live updates
Thank you everyone
By Simon Smale
Thanks Simon, it’s been an interesting series and a mighty effort on your part to solo blog it in its entirety. Hope to see you covering the WTC final and Ashes Series.
- Mike
Thank you very much to all of you for being with me over the course of the Tests, it has bene wonderful reading your comments.
We will be back for the Ashes and the World Test Championship final from June, which is not all that far away to be honest.
We'll be back for that and look forward to seeing you all then.
Goodbye.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are joint players of the series
By Simon Smale
Joint players of the series.
Jadeja had 22 wickets in the series at 18.86, Ashwin had 25 wickets at 17.28.
Nathan Lyon also had 22 wickets, at 22.36.
How Australia's batting averages have improved/reduced this series
By Simon Smale
Steve Smith dropping below 60.00 is interesting.
Only Travis Head and Cameron Green improved their averages on a decidedly bowler-friendly tour.
Virat Kohli is the player of the match
By Simon Smale
His century was hugely impressive, 186 runs in 364 balls.
'It was a really enjoyable series to be a part of': Steve Smith
By Simon Smale
Here's Steve Smith, the Australian captain.
"It did end slowly," Smith says with a smile of the series.
"That was a pretty flat wicket, that one.
"It was a really enjoyable series to be a part of."
Smith says Australia were improving throughout the series.
"I think we started to play a lot better as the series went on
"Unfortunately the wicket was a bit flat for a result but it was good cricket all the same."
He is now praising both Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy - as well as saying Nathan Lyon was superb.
Harsha Bhogle is asking whether Smith will be back in four years time for the next series.
"I dunno about that, but who knows, we'll see what happens."
Dravid praises quality of Australian spin attack
By Simon Smale
Raul Dravid has praised Australia's "absolutely exceptional" spin attack this series.
Dravid says India has not played against as good a spin attack as this Australian team since Monty Pansesar and Graeme Swann helped England to a series victory in 2012.
"I thought [Nathan Lyon] was absolutely exceptional throughout the series, just the control he was able to give," he says.
"But I thought the two young spinners ... gave him that kind of support.
"Credit to the two young spinners ... they maintained the pressure, they got wickets.
"A lot of the guys were full of praise for the quality of spin they had to play which makes the victory all the sweeter."
'We were put under pressure': Raul Dravid
By Simon Smale
India coach Raul Dravid is speaking now.
He says that Australia had played very well and put India under pressure.
"There were moments in this series where we were put under pressure from a really good cricket team, and we responded," he says.
"We were put under pressure ... for three of those matches we responded.
"Australia is a very good team ... to be able to compete with them and get the better of them even in our conditions was very good for the boys."
Did Delhi madness decide the series?
By Simon Smale
Lyon says Ahmedabad pitch was 'pretty challenging'
By Simon Smale
Lyon is speaking about this pitch now.
"It's a totally different surface," he says.
"Didn't really have much in it.
"It can be quite challenging but it's up to us bowlers to get the guys trapped on the crease and try and get them playing false shots.
"But yeah, totally different surface, very compacted and not many footmarks so pretty challenging."
Lyon: 'It's been a tough challenge'
By Simon Smale
Nathan Lyon is speaking to the host broadcaster.
"It's been a tough challenge," he says.
"It's been rewarding. I think our group can take a lot out of it.
"There's some areas where we can improve but there's some proud moments there along the way.
"It's always a great challenge coming out here, it's something I love doing."
Stumps: Match drawn
By Simon Smale
79th over - Shubman Gill is going to have another
By Simon Smale
One ball is defended away and, I think that might be it?
It is!
Easily done I reckon
By Simon Smale
I put a load of washing in the machine 2 hours ago. Now I'm totally distracted watching it dry.
- Old timer
78th over - Leg spin from Cheteshwar Pujara!
By Simon Smale
Pujara has six first class wickets, with a best return of 2-4.
He has only bowled one over in Test cricket, a single over against South Africa in Delhi in 2015, which went for two runs.
Was that a wrong-un to end the over? It might have been. It wasn't a bad over to be honest, just a single by Marnus Labuschagne off it.
77th over - Shubman Gill gets an over or two
By Simon Smale
Now you know it's chill out time, when the part timers are asked if they want to bowl some overs in Test cricket.
Right arm off break bowling from Gill.
He has bowled 54 balls in first class cricket across four separate innings, his career figures are 0-43.
Marnus hits him for his first run in Test cricket, a clip to the leg side.
It's a relatively tight over, turning in from outside off to the right handers, and Smith is back defending the last ball which turned nicely.
A good over from the rookie bowler.
76th over - Axar carries on
By Simon Smale
As per regulations, the captains can shake hands half an hour before the scheduled close, so I guess we're ticking down towards that time - which is about 30 minutes away.
Steve Smith defended the same ball pitched in the same place away with the same solid stroke for every ball that over.
A maiden.
75th over - Jadeja carries on
By Simon Smale
Marnus and Virat Kohli exchange some light-hearted words. I think Marnus said he'd "not heard that one" so Virat obviously said something to try and keep things fresh.
Marnus is just getting some practice in defending, it's all very solid.
Drinks are coming out on to the field - both captains are out there, perhaps they'll have a chat.
Continue, they shall
By Simon Smale
Is there any point continuing? It's pretty clear this is going to be a draw...
- Jeremy
I can tell you the agency photographers have given up - no new photos have been filed for ages.
The commentators seem to be a bit bored.
The players are going through the motions...
74th over - Axar continues
By Simon Smale
Smith defends solidly.
BEATEN! Lovely ball that turned past Steve Smith's outstretched bat. Lovely stuff from Axar.
It's another maiden as Smith gets that big stride working and holds out Axar again.
73rd over - Jadeja continues
By Simon Smale
Labuschagne defends.
Oh, and now he's backed away very late and Jadeja bowled the ball anyway. There have been a lot of late backings away from the batters in this whole series.
Has that unsettled Marnus? He leaves the next outside off.
And now he's back, forward, defending back down the pitch.
Marnus defends the last pretty comfortably.
