"It's a huge, huge achievement. It's close to that Ashes win," he said.

"To draw 1-1 with India on any occasion would have been great. To have won in India would have been as good as beating Australia in England.

"But it's right up there. With four, five of six guys missing it's a tremendous achievement."

Captain Andrew Flintoff hit two fifties and took four wickets to be named man of the match and also took the man of the series award.

"To come to India and draw 1-1 with such a formidable side was a great effort for our lads," he said.

"Early on in the tour things were quite tough. The lads who came in and made debuts, with not much experience, have taken the bull by the horns."

Flintoff revealed that a blast of country music during the lunch break was behind England's inspired display of seven wickets for 25 runs.

"We went in the dressing-room, had our lunch then played a bit of Johnny Cash, Ring of Fire," he said.

"It got the lads going and we came out afterwards with a spring in our step."

England's victory kept them just above India in second place in the ICC world rankings behind Australia, who they visit next November.