Harbhajan's first Test ton guides India to safety against Kiwis

Harbhajan struggled on the recent tours of West Indies and England (Reuters)

Harbhajan Singh's first century in any form of cricket earned India a hard-fought draw in the first Test against New Zealand despite a top-order collapse in Ahmedabad yesterday.

At 15 for 5 and 65 for 6, India appeared to be close to defeat, but V V S Laxman (91) and Harbhajan, who scored 69 in the first innings, put on 163 to see their side towards a second-innings total of 266.

New Zealand strolled to 22 for 1 before the teams shook hands at the start of the last hour. The second Test in the three-match series begins in Hyderabad on Friday.