India achieved their first Test series win in New Zealand in 41 years yesterday, but in a mood of anti-climax as the third Test ended in a rain-sodden draw.

India needed only two New Zealand wickets to win the third Test when rain began to fall mid-afternoon.

The previous six India tours to New Zealand had failed to secure a Test-series win.

New Zealand were 281 for eight in their second innings, still 335 runs behind India after being set a massive 617 to win.

Ross Taylor reached his fourth Test century, his second in successive Tests, and shared a record 142-run fifth-wicket partnership with James Franklin (49), which prolonged New Zealand's innings until the rain intervened.

Signal performances

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took four for 59 and completed match figures of seven for 102 to bowl New Zealand to the brink of defeat and there were signal performances from Sachin Tendulkar, who took two wickets and Rahul Dravid, who held his 184th Test catch.