"Dravid was upset after Ganguly's run-out," Laxman recalls famous 2003 Adelaide Test partnership

Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman had scored 303 runs together in Adelaide Test.

VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid in Adelaide Test 2003 | GETTY

Former India batsman VVS Laxman talked about his partnership with Rahul Dravid in the Adelaide Test back in 2003. Laxman and Dravid had stitched up a 303-run partnership together to turn the game in their favor.

Australia had scored 556 in the first innings, and India was four down on 85 runs when Laxman walked in to bat after Sourav Ganguly's run-out. Dravid was upset over the run-out and his partner wanted him to forget about it.

Laxman recalled telling Dravid to focus on the job in hand, which actually led to another partnership like Eden Gardens in 2001. 

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"When I joined Rahul when Sourav, unfortunately, got run out, the reaction of Rahul as he was still amazed, he was dazed when I walked in because of the fashion in which Sourav got run out," said Laxman on Star Sports' show Cricket Connected.

"All I had to tell to Rahul was forget about what has happened and let us think about what we are going to do. Because he was really upset the way Sourav got run out," he added.

Dravid went on to score a double hundred (233), and Laxman accompanied him with a ton. India ended up with 523 on the board.

They bowled out Australia on 196 in the second innings with Ajit Agarkar's 6/41. Dravid again put a good show with the bat in the second innings, scoring 72*, helping India chase down 230. 

"We had a good partnership by the end of the day and we tried to play our natural game. The best part about that partnership was even though there was scoreboard pressure, even though we were under a lot of stress and pressure but not once did we go into a shell," said the veteran.

"And when I spoke to some of them after the Test match, when we had a partnership of 100 or 150, slowly they were also thinking if it will be a repeat of Eden. We had a 300-run partnership and Rahul batted beautifully to get to his double-hundred," said Laxman.

(Quotes from Star Sports' show Cricket Connected)

 
 

By - 17 Dec, 2020

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