During the Eden Gardens Test match in 2001 between India and Australia, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid created a historic partnership that is considered one of the greatest in Test cricket. The match was played from March 11-15, 2001, and India was in a difficult position after being forced to follow on. Laxman and Dravid batted together and were able to rescue India from a precarious situation when they were struggling at 232 for 4 in their second innings, still 42 runs behind Australia’s first innings score.
In the first Test match of the series, Australia had defeated India and put on a massive score of 445 runs in their first innings. In response, India was dismissed for just 171 runs and were forced to follow-on. By the time VVS Laxman joined Rahul Dravid at the crease, India was in a precarious position at 115/3. Despite Australia’s dominance and the match appearing to be out of reach, Laxman and Dravid stood tall against their formidable opponents, including Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. Their partnership of 376 runs was a turning point, and they ensured a remarkable victory for India. Harbhajan Singh also took a hat-trick in the match. Laxman scored an unbeaten 281 runs while Dravid amassed 180 runs, with Laxman having scored 59 runs in the first innings.
According to Heman Badani, a member of the Indian team, the morale of the team was so low after the third day that players were even considering packing their bags. He shared that the team had packed their suitcases, intending to go straight from the ground to the airport to fly home. However, Laxman and Dravid batted superbly, without losing a wicket for the entire day, and turned the match around.
Heman Badani also shared in another tweet that when the team returned to the hotel after their incredible victory, their suitcases had not arrived, and they were left with only their match gear and tracksuits until around 9 pm. Many of the players even had dinner at the hotel restaurant while still wearing their whites.
The 2001 Eden Gardens Test match win was a significant moment for Indian cricket, as it came at a time when the sport was reeling from match-fixing scandals. The victory not only boosted the confidence of the Indian players but also marked the beginning of a new era for Indian cricket, leading to many more victories in the future.
“Get more sports news, cricket news, and football updates, log on to sportsdigest.in. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel.”
