Bengaluru, July 25: India and the West Indies had an absorbing rivalry in Test cricket once. The Caribbeans had won five consecutive series after they started playing each other in the longer format in 1948-49.

However, things have taken a completely different shape now as the West Indies have not won a Test against India after 2002 and it is 25 years that they have won a Test match on the Indian soil.

India in fact have won their last seven series played against the Windies and will start favourites in the upcoming two-game series as well.

The last time the West Indies had won a Test match in India was in 1994 when they beat the home team in Mohali which was staging its first Test. It was the third game of the three-match series with India leading 1-0 and even a draw would have seen Mohammad Azharuddin's side bagging the series and maintain India's unbeaten record at home since losing to Imran Khan's Pakistan in 1986-87.

The West Indies had also come to India with a fabulous record of not losing a single Test series since 1980. Hence, both teams had plenty at stake and the Caribbeans, led by Courtney Walsh, had a steeper job in hand since they did not have some star players in their ranks.

The Windies won the toss and elected to bat and banking on Jimmy Adams's 174 (he earned the nickname of 'Padams' in that series because of his pad-play) and Anderson Cummins's fifty down the order, they made 443. The Indian spinning trio of Anil Kumble, Venkatapathy Raju and debutant Ashish Kapoor took eight wickets with Kumble bagging four.

Opener Manoj Prabhakar scored his only Test hundred (120) but India had a mini collapse in the middle order to lose three wickets for only 37 runs. At 265 for six, the hosts were not in a great position to take a lead but Javagal Srinath's 52 not out at No.10 took them much closer to the West Indian total.

Srinath and Raju added vital 64 runs for the final wicket to take their team's total to 387 to concede a lead of 56 runs. Kenneth Benjamin and Cameron Cuffy of the four-pronged pace attack of the Windies took three wickets each.

The West Indies came up with yet another strong performance in the second innings. Brian Lara came out to open to slam 91 in 104 balls and the visitors declared their innings at 301 for three in 56.3 overs, extending the lead to 357. Only Raju got wickets for India - a couple of them.

Walsh broke Prabhakar's nose

India were left to score 358 runs to win and in those days, it was quite a target. They lost Navjot Singh Sidhu early again and ended the day at 37 for one. However, it was effectively 37 for two as first innings centurion Prabhakar had his nose broken by a bouncer from Walsh that had crashed through his visor.

India had to clutch on to the crease on the final day to draw the game and win the series but the Windies bowling attack was far too strong on the day. The pacers - only three of them - needed only 35.2 overs to skittle the hosts out for 114 and Srinath and Raju added 46 runs for the ninth wicket after India were reduced to 68 for eight! Benjamin took five for 65 while Walsh ended with three wickets.

India lost the game by 243 runs and allowed the West Indies to maintain their unbeaten record in Tests since 1980. The hosts' own record of remaining unbeaten at home was though ruined. Adams was the man of the match in the final Test that the Caribbeans have won in India till now.