India vs England | England's Over-Cautious Declaration Backfires | Sachin's Century & Kumble 10 Far

At Ahmedabad, December 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Drawn. Toss: England. After England's defeat in the opening Test at Mohali, predictions of another Indian whitewash filled the air, but at Ahmedabad Hussain's team proved more resilient than Graham Gooch's nine years earlier. Even without Thorpe, who decided only hours before the start to fly home at once for family reasons, England dominated large tracts of the match, but ultimately lacked the firepower to force the victory that would have levelled the series. Waiting to be bowled out, 373 ahead, was overly cautious for a side 1-0 down in a three-Test rubber. Hussain was wary of the damage that Tendulkar, in particular, could inflict on his inexperienced attack. He left India's batsmen just over a day to negotiate and, on a comatose pitch that had failed to offer the expected sharp turn, they did this with ease. A ponderous century opening stand between Das and Dasgupta - at barely two an over - directed them to safety at 198 for three. With both captains apparently more interested in avoiding defeat than chasing victory, the final day was virtually unwatchable. Both sides made two changes from Mohali. Vaughan stepped in for Thorpe, and Giles was welcomed back in place of Ormond. For India, Sehwag returned after his suspension and Srinath after injury, while Iqbal Siddiqui and Bangar dropped out. Hussain won the toss for the first time since the Lahore Test, 13 months before, and Trescothick and Butcher celebrated with a positive century stand for the first wicket. Butcher's eventual dismissal was the first of ten in the match for Kumble, which took him to 299 Test wickets. England repeatedly fell prey to his googly which, allied to the ever-present top-spinner, made playing back to him a dangerous occupation. Four batsmen succumbed to the googly on the first day, including Trescothick, who drove and slog-swept the spinners stoutly, but dabbed to the wicket-keeper on 99. Hussain, leg-before to a ball snaking down the leg side, and Vaughan, given out caught off bat a