Sachin Tendulkar fell agonizingly short of his 100th international century as England confirmed their status as cricket's number one team with a 4-0 series whitewash over India.
England sealed a 4-0 series rout of India with an innings and eight-run victory at The Oval, as Sachin Tendulkar fell just short of an unprecedented 100th international hundred.
The legendary Indian batsman -- dubbed "The Little Master" -- was dismissed for 91 at The Oval in London as England won the fourth Test by an innings and eight runs.
Their fourth successive victory over India means that England usurped their opponents at the top of the world rankings.
Having racked up a mammoth 591-6 declared, England dismissed India for 300 in their first innings and 283 in their second after asking the tourists to bat again.
Graeme Swann took six wickets on the final day, including the final scalp of Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, to confirm England's first series whitewash on home soil since 2004.
It's been up there with the best series we've played as a group
--Andrew Strauss, England captain
"We had to work pretty hard for that," England captain Andrew Strauss told BBC. "When you enforce the follow-on, you're always asking a lot of the bowlers especially on a flat wicket. They stuck at it.
"To bowl India out for 300 and 283 on that wicket is quite a performance. You're getting really strong performances from all 11 players.
"It's been up there with the best series we've played as a group. We've had a lot of victories over the last couple of years and we expect to win matches now."
India captain MS Dhoni added: "It's important we stay together as a unit because the expectation levels are quite high.
"It's about the team rising to the occasion together. That's the way ahead. We are not willing to surrender and we hope the coming years will be good."
Resuming on 129-3 -- still 162 runs behind -- Tendulkar and Amit Mishra put up stubborn resistance in the morning session, England trying six different bowlers in an attempt to break the partnership.
Tendulkar went to lunch on 78 not out with an expectant capacity crowd willing him on to his landmark 100th international century. After the interval Mishra was the first to go, for 84, bowled by Swann after he and Tendulkar had put on 144 runs.
Just minutes later Indian fans in the crowd were distraught as Tim Bresnan trapped Tendulkar LBW just nine short of his hundred, replays showing the ball was just clipping the leg stump.
India's final six batsmen managed just 19 runs between them as Stuart Broad removed captain MS Dhoni and RP Singh with Swann picking up the wickets of Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir and Sreesanth.
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