Australia wrap up 4-0 series win over India

Australia regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they lost in India in 2010

Australia wrapped up a 4-0 series whitewash over India, who fell to their eighth consecutive defeat, with a 298-run win in the first hour of the last day of the final Test in Adelaide.

India began day five on 166-6, chasing an implausible victory target of 500.

But the tourists were bowled out for 201, spinner Nathan Lyon finishing with 4-63, as the tail crumbled.

After the defeat, India denied that a senior player - reported to be batsman Rahul Dravid - was set to retire.

With no recognised batsmen remaining, it was always likely to be a matter of time before India's resistance was ended - and lost their overnight pair within the first four overs as night-watchman Ishant Sharma and stand-in keeper Wriddhiman Saha both edged to keeper Brad Haddin.

Ravichandran Ashwin (15 not out) and Zaheer Khan (15) managed to delay the inevitable for a while, before Zaheer was caught at cover, and last man Umesh Yadav lasted 11 balls before giving Haddin his fourth catch of the innings.

Paceman Peter Siddle was named as man of the match for his five-wicket haul which broke the back of India's top order in the first innings, while Aussie skipper Michael Clarke took the man of the series prize after a golden series in which he scored 626 at an average of 125.20.

It was a happier ending for the Aussies than their last Adelaide Oval Test when they suffered an innings defeat by England, also before lunch on the fifth day.

But India's misery down under - they have yet to win a Test series in Australia after 10 attempts - continues - and after losing 4-0 in England last summer, questions have been raised, especially about their previously vaunted batting line-up.

While the tourists' media manager began the post-match news conference by quickly denying reports of an imminent retirement, stand-in captain Virender Sehwag also made it clear that wholesale changes to the side were unlikely.

"I don't think [changes] are due because the same team played in the last couple of years when we became the number one team in the world with the same batting and bowling line-up," explained Sehwag.

"When we won the World Cup everyone was happy and cheering for Team India, and now the time we need the support of the fans and everybody, they should back their own team.

"If you look at the Australian team, they were struggling as well in the Ashes last year and they got out for 47 in South Africa, so it happens with every team.

"There are experienced players in our team - one bad series doesn't make any difference for them, so they are working hard on their batting skills and they'll find a way."

Australia now host India in two Twenty20 internationals before the two countries compete in a one-day international tri-series also involving Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, in Napier, New Zealand enjoyed the eighth biggest victory in Test history after they beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 301 runs with two days to spare in their only Test.

The Kiwis began day three on 392-5, which they stretched to 495-7 before declaring with wicketkeeper BJ Watling (102 not out) making his maiden Test century.

Zimbabwe were then skittled twice in a day, for 51 and 143, with seamer Chris Martin taking 6-26 in the second innings to earn the man-of-the-match award.