With neither side in any position to push for a result, India opted to bat out the last day before their captains agreed to an early finish.

India, who needed to win the match to draw the series, finished the game on 269 for seven in their second innings and an overall lead of 232 runs.

The final day was dominated by India's dashing opener Virender Sehwag and the emotional retirement of Adam Gilchrist.

Australia's vice captain stunned the cricket world on Saturday when he announced he was quitting Test cricket at the end of the match, then one-day internationals in March.

Gilchrist capped his last day in Test cricket with two catches to take his final career tally to 416 dismissals, three days after breaking the world record for a wicketkeeper.

Sehwag thumped a brilliant 151 and occupied the crease for more than five hours, contributing more than half the Indian total. No other Indian batsman made more than 20, though most seemed content simply to bat for time rather than runs once the prospect of a result faded.

GLIMMER OF HOPE

There was never much chance of a result after both teams made in excess of 500 runs in their first innings, but Sehwag at least gave the Indians a glimmer of hope of getting far enough ahead to set up an early declaration on the last day.

The 29-year-old blazed his way to his 13th Test century off 123 balls before lunch but was forced to curb his attacking instincts when Rahul Dravid suffered a broken finger and India started losing wickets at regular intervals.

Dravid retired hurt on 13 when he was struck on the finger by a short-pitched delivery from express paceman Brett Lee, who was named player of the series.

Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and Vangipurappu Laxman all fell cheaply, forcing Sehwag to adopt a more defensive approach.

Tendulkar, who was named man of the match after scoring a hundred in the first innings, was run out for 13 after a direct hit from Mitchell Johnson.

Ganguly went for 18 when he spooned a catch off Johnson to Mike Hussey at short cover, while Laxman fell for 12 when he glanced a catch off Lee to Gilchrist.

Lee captured a second wicket when he dismissed Mahendra Singh Dhoni for 20, brilliantly caught by Matthew Hayden in the slips, then Gilchrist caught Sehwag when he got a nick off Andrew Symonds.