Top Performer: Praveen Kumar

Possibly possessing the coolest head with everything around him reaching the boiling point, Praveen Kumar played like a seasoned veteran, removing the Australian top-order and then coming back to claim another crucial wicket when things were really getting hot.

The Meerut medium-pacer, taking the new ball and using it brilliantly, wrecked Adam Gilchrist's swan song, had Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke make a hash of intended pull shots, and then castled Brett Lee with a brilliant slower one when Australia were looking like coming back into the game.

Praveen's display made India's less then anticipated score of 258 look like a mountain, and no amount of praise is enough for this performance.