During the 2001 Kolkata Test, legendary India batsmen VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid had stitched together an iconic 376-run partnership against Australia to snatch a historic Test victory from the jaws of defeat.
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The iconic Test match was played from March 11-15 at the Eden Gardens. On its 20th anniversary, Laxman recalled the life lessons he learned from one of India's greatest victories in the longest format.
"It's been 20 years since the greatest Test match I was a part of, but the memories are as fresh and glorious as in March 2001. The odds were stacked against us going into the third day of the second Test at the Eden Gardens. Steve Waugh's Australians had defeated us inside three days in Mumbai to equal the record for 16 successive Test wins, and we were staring at a follow-on in Kolkata too despite Bhajji's (Harbhajan Singh) brilliant bowling on Day One which brought him India's first Test hat-trick," Laxman wrote in his column for the Times of India.
"While the victory was beyond sweet, what has stayed with me are the life-lessons the extraordinary game threw up. Such as, never give up, no matter what. However tough things might seem, you need to keep looking for solutions instead of being bogged down by problems. You must trust your ability, and of your mates doing battle with you. You must stay in the present, not think about what has happened or what might happen. Set small targets, and when you reach them, refocus instead of getting carried away. These truisms are a part of everyday life, not just on the cricket field," he added.
India were forced to follow on after getting bundled out for 171 in reply to Australia's first innings total of 445. It was then Laxman and Dravid produced two of the greatest Test innings ever that helped India to notch up 657/7 (declared) in the second innings.
While Laxman batted his way to a marathon 281, Dravid scored a spirited 180 with cramps. The duo batted the entire fourth day adding 335 runs and their eventual stand of 376 carried India from 254/4 to 589/4.
Set a target of 384 in the fourth innings, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh scalped 6/73 as Australia collapsed from 166/3 to 212 all-out to give India a historic 171-run victory.
"While Bhajji, Dravid and I got a lion's share of the credit for the turnaround, this was a victory for team effort and team spirit. The belief in the dressing-room, and the support that Rahul and I got from our colleagues during our long partnership, is indescribable. It was as if it wasn't just Rahul and me in the middle; our teammates were with us, the wonderful Eden crowd was with us," Laxman reminisced.
The important factor to note was that Laxman was promoted to No.3 in the second innings while Dravid was pushed down to No.6 in the batting order.
"Dravid came into the Test drained by viral fever, and cramped up at various stages during his brilliant 180. He was the vice-captain, yet he had to cede his No. 3 position to me in the second innings, but not once did he show his displeasure, if at all he did feel it. How to bail the team out of the pickle was his only focus, and the determination he showed in shutting everything else out, was a wonderful lesson," he said.
Laxman also mentioned that he doesn’t regret not getting a triple century in that Test match.
"I have been asked more than once whether I regret not getting a triple-hundred. My answer remains the same - not at all. I believe individual performances have little value if they don't help the team win. On the final day, the aim was to get quick runs as we pressed for a declaration. If I fell in that endeavour, so be it. I would have been gutted if I had got to 300, and somehow Australia had managed to save the game. What made 281 special was the outcome, the manner in which we won on the last day with Tendulkar also turning in a magical spell," he opined.
(With TOI inputs)
