Throwback to the historic VVS Laxman-Rahul Dravid partnership of 2001
It was not often the dominant Australian side of the 1990s and 2000s were left befuddled on a cricketing field. Yet, two stalwarts of Indian cricket, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, did just that by scripting arguably the greatest partnership in Test history.
The moment dates back to 2001 when the all-conquering Aussie side, riding a 15-game winning streak in Tests, toured India for a three-match Test series. The Steve Waugh-led side soon made it 16 victories straight after a thumping 10-wicket win in the series opener in Mumbai.
Having never won a Test series in India since the 1969-70 tour, the Australians smelled blood against a seemingly discombobulated home side. The second Test at the iconic Eden Gardens started much like the opening game, with the visitors smashing the Indian attack for a formidable 445 in the first innings.
And right on cue, Team India folded yet again in the wake of the suffocating Australian attack for a paltry 171 in their first essay. With the series seemingly out of hand, the Indians faced further humiliation by being made to follow on.
However, a moment of inspiration came when VVS Laxman moved up from his customary No.6 position to one drop. The stylish right-hander matched fire with fire and stroked a silky century to carry India to 254/4 at stumps on Day 3.
Despite Laxman's Day 3 heroics, India still trailed by 20 runs with only six wickets in hand in their second essay. But what followed was one of the most remarkable days of battership by VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.
On this day (March 14) 23 years back, the legendary duo batted the entire day without giving away their wicket against an Aussie attack that featured Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, and Jason Gillespie. As the two batters' confidence grew by the minute, the Australians unraveled with sagging shoulders and dropping heads.
Laxman and Dravid added 335 runs on the day and remained unscathed on 275 and 155, respectively, propelling India to 589/4 at stumps on the fourth day. With a lead of 315 runs heading into the final day, Team India and its fans began dreaming again of a miraculous victory.
Team India went on to create history on the final day
Despite the unforgettable Day 4, India still had much work to pull off the miraculous victory and level the series.
While Laxman finally fell 19 runs short of a triple century on 281, Dravid suffered an unfortunate run out on 180. The hosts finally declared their second innings on 657/7, setting the Aussies a target of 384 in 75 overs.
Unfazed by the turnaround, Australia started their run-chase powerfully, racing to 74/0 in 23 overs. However, Harbhajan Singh began tormenting the Aussies once again, coming off his hat trick in the first innings.
The champion off-spinner picked up six wickets and was well-supported by the part-time spin of Sachin Tendulkar, who bagged three crucial scalps. It led to India bowling Australia out for 212 at the tail end of the day to complete a famous 171-run win to level the series at one apiece.
Laxman (59 & 281) fought off stiff competition from Harbhajan (13 wickets) to win the Player of the Match award. It was only the third occasion of a side winning a Test match after following on after England had done it twice in 1894 and 1981.
A rejuvenated Indian side then completed an incredible series win by clinching the final Test by two wickets in a nail-biting finish. While the victory was nothing short of sensational in isolation, it also led to a new-found belief amongst the Indian players in the future, especially against Australia.
The Asian giants have since gone toe to toe against the Aussies home and away across formats, something that was unimaginable in the late 1980s and 1990s.