England's hopes of preserving their unbeaten home Test series record were shattered by a relentless India batting display led by unlikely centurion Anil Kumble at the Brit Oval.

Resuming on 316 for four on the second morning of the final npower Test, India set out to bat England out of the game and secure the draw they require for their first series win on English soil since 1986.

They achieved that and more by battering England into submission, forcing them through 170 energy-sapping overs as India batted on through nearly 12 hours and watched the records tumble before they were finally dismissed for 664.

India's mammoth score, which included 81 fours and nine sixes, was their highest ever against England with every member of their side reaching double figures - only the 11th time in Test history that has happened - while Kumble's century in his 151st innings was the most any player has taken to reach three figures.

It all added up to a day of increasing frustration for an England attack hindered by a side strain to left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom, who was unable to bowl after the morning session and put an even greater burden onto the remainder of the attack.

Clinging to the memory of their victory against South Africa four years ago, when they conceded 484 in the first innings and still celebrated a famous victory, England were simply battling to avoid defeat by the close and reached 24 for one.

Needing victory to maintain an unbeaten home Test series run stretching back to 2001, England knew they needed early wickets.

With a new ball just 7.4 overs old, they would have hoped to make early inroads but once again wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who had dropped Sachin Tendulkar on 20 the previous day, missed a key catch.

VVS Laxman had progressed to 41 from his overnight 20 with a flurry of boundaries before edging Sidebottom towards Andrew Strauss at first slip, only for Prior to dive in front of him late and deflect the ball for four.

Fortunately for Prior and England, Laxman perished five overs later having progressed to 51 when he edged behind to a grateful wicketkeeper off Chris Tremlett.

Tendulkar, though, continued to be a source of frustration for Prior as he progressed towards what seemed an inevitable 38th century of his phenomenal Test career.

Content to play a more cautious role than the strokemaker of his younger years, Tendulkar was a model of concentration while Mahendra Dhoni kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Seizing on anything loose, Dhoni gradually accelerated to his half-century but did not go into overdrive until Tendulkar fell pushing outside off-stump to Jimmy Anderson for 82 and this time the ball flew to Strauss at slip unhindered.

Perhaps concerned he may run out of partners as he was joined by Kumble - unnecessarily so as it turned out - Dhoni suddenly shifted emphasis and concentrated on giving a stunning display

Having taken 65 balls to reach his 50, India's new superstar took only 16 balls to score his next 42 runs before falling attempting to hit Kevin Pietersen for his third six of the over.

He hit four sixes in all, two in one over from Monty Panesar, and dominated a 91-run stand off only 107 balls.

India were already on a formidable 508 for seven and without a recognised batsman remaining in the order, England set their sights on wrapping up the innings.

Had they done so then victory would not have been completely beyond belief - just ask Australia who triumphed in Adelaide this winter after England declared their first innings on 551 for six in the second Ashes Test.

But instead of capitulating, India batted on for a further 40 overs and allowed Kumble to reach an unlikely maiden century with the lower order supporting him superbly.

Zaheer Khan kept him company for over an hour during a 62-run stand and by the time Anderson had claimed a smart one-handed return catch to remove RP Singh, Kumble was still 24 runs short of the landmark when unpredictable last man Shanthakumaran Sreesanth walked out to bat.

Shielding him from the strike during the early stages, Kumble's confidence in his partner grew and he remained there long enough for him to reach his century in bizarre circumstances - an inside edge off Panesar which diverted between Prior's legs for four.

Sreesanth fell shortly afterwards when he was caught attempting another huge shot having hit six fours and a six in his 35 off 32 balls, which helped India forge a record last-wicket stand against England of 73 off 80 balls.

Facing a tricky eight overs before the close, the inevitable happened after two long days in the field with Strauss mistiming a pull shot off Zaheer to be caught in the deep.

Night-watchman Anderson should have followed in the next over but umpire Ian Howell continued a disappointing match by rejecting a strong lbw appeal by Sreesanth and leaving England needing a further 441 just to avoid the follow on.