Australia in India, Test Series, 2001
India beat Australia 2-1
The Australian team that toured India in February 2001 under Steve Waugh, were not only the No 1 team in the world but were also on a roll:
They had won 15 successive Tests, which, in fact, was a world record. They quickly made 16 by winning the first Test at Mumbai in three days by ten wickets.
The general opinion at this time was a clean sweep for the visitors, which would give Waugh 'The Final Frontier' as he termed it - the Aussies had not won a series in India since 1969.
Midway through the second Test at Kolkata, it did seem like nothing would prevent the Aussies from registering another victory and achieving their objective.
After amassing 445, they dismissed India for 171. Following on, India lost four wickets for 232 shortly before stumps on the third day.
But the match was far from getting over. In an incredible fightback, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman added a record 376 runs for the fifth wicket with the former getting 180 and the latter 281 - the highest individual score by an Indian in Tests at that time.
The Indians ultimately declared at 657 for seven leaving the Aussies a target of 384.
Harbhajan Singh, who became the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in a Test match in the first innings, bundled them out for 212 giving the Indians a 171-run victory.
That was only the third time in the history of Test cricket that a team had won after following on.
A perfect stage for an exciting decider was all set in Chennai. India went into the match with renewed vigour while Australians were desperate to make amends after their invincible tag was tarnished.
After a pulsating sea-saw tussle, India finally won by two wickets. Harbhajan Singh, with a match haul of 15 wickets and 32 scalps for the series, emerged as the hero of the totally unexpected triumph.
In Image: The Heroes: VVS Laxman (left) and Rahul Dravid relax at Eden Gardens after their record partnership
Text: Partab Ramchand
Images: Getty and AFP (Unauthorised reproduction prohibited)
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