MUMBAI: Rahul Dravid became the second batsman to complete 13,000 Test runs as India reached 172-2 at tea in reply to the West Indies' 590 on the third day of the third and final Test on Thursday.
He was unbeaten on 52 at the break with batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar (20 not out), who needs just one more hundred to complete an unprecedented 100 international centuries.
Dravid, playing his 160th Test, reached the landmark in the afternoon when he fluently drove seamer Darren Sammy through the covers for a four. He also completed 1,000 Test runs in the year during his 109-ball knock.
Only Tendulkar (15,106 in 184 matches) has scored more runs than Dravid in Test cricket.
India lost openers Gautam Gambhir (55) and Virender Sehwag (37) before Dravid and Tendulkar added 34 for the unfinished third-wicket stand.
Gambhir fell soon after completing his 18th Test half-century in the afternoon, adjudged caught behind while attempting to pull paceman Ravi Rampaul after hitting eight fours.
He was involved in two useful stands, adding 67 for the opening wicket with Sehwag and 71 for the next with Dravid.
Sammy provided the breakthrough in his third over when he bowled Sehwag with a delivery that cut in to surprise the batsman on an easy-paced track at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Sehwag played some attractive shots during his cameo as he once lofted Sammy over the covers for a six in the bowler's opening over. He also hit three fours in his 50-ball knock.
The West Indies earlier added 15 runs off 3.1 overs to their overnight total of 575-9 before off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bowled Devendra Bishoo (12) to finish with 5-156 for his second five-wicket haul in the debut Test series.
Debutant paceman Varun Aaron claimed three wickets, while paceman Ishant Sharma and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha took one wicket each.
India lead 2-0 in the series after winning the opening Test in New Delhi by five wickets and the second match in Kolkata by an innings and 15 runs.
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