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.
So much has been written about what happened thereafter. 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 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.
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 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.
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 that has stuck with me since.
When I look back, it’s no surprise that this drama unfolded at the Eden. It’s been a special venue not just for me but the Indian team for decades, a good pitch that has something for everyone invariably producing excellent contests. The crowd is pretty special too. They always turn up in huge numbers, full of zeal and energy, and are desperate for their favourite players and teams to do well. Many of them left the ground on the third evening when Tendulkar and later Ganguly were dismissed, but they came rushing back once Dravid and I got involved in that magical partnership. It just goes to show how passionate they are about not just the game but also the result.
most celebrated innings in the history of Indian cricket
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.
In keeping with the tradition of India-Australia Test cricket, we witnessed a wonderful series Down Under recently. In my book, the wins at the MCG and at the Gabba, especially, are of greater significance than the one at Eden. Australia came into the final Test undefeated in more than 30 years in Brisbane, and India were without Virat Kohli and their entire first-choice bowling group. To win the decider in such circumstances, with so many youngsters putting their hand up, was an incredible achievement.
It goes without saying that no win against Australia comes easy. If you score runs or take wickets, you know you have earned them, not received gifts. India possess a similar mindset, which is why contests between these two sides are highly intense.
Australia have travelled really well to India and challenged us, just as we have whenever we have toured there in the last 20 years. The India-Australia rivalry has taken pride of place in Test cricket; not only are these matches the most watched on television, the players also look forward to locking horns with each other because nothing excites a sportsperson more than the thrill of serious competition.
