India vs Bangladesh: ‘Remember Ashish Nehra sledging Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh’ – VVS Laxman recalls 2001 Eden Test

There is, perhaps, hardly any Indian cricket fan that does not remember the 2001 Eden Test in which the Sourav Ganguly-led Indian side came from the brink of a defeat to pull off an unlikely win over Australia. At that time, the Steve Waugh-led Australian side were on a 16-match winning streak in the longest format, and despite playing at home, India were viewed as the underdogs in the battle. Coming on to bat first, Australia amassed 445 runs in the first innings,and then enforced a follow-on on the hosts after they were bundled out for 171.

In the 2nd innings, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid stitched a 376-run partnership to help their side to 657/7dec, and setting the visitors a target of 384 runs to chase. In reply, Australia were bowled out for 212, and India won the match by 171-runs.

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At the Lunch break on Day 1 of India’s historic pink-ball Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata, Laxman, who was named man of the match for his performance, recalled the iconic Test and said that the partnership between him and Dravid had changed the mood in the dressing room by the 4th Day.

“When Rahul and I came to bat in the morning on 4th day, we decided that the 2nd new ball was very important to change the face of the match because. We had lost 4 wickets and if you go into a shell, the Australian won’t allow you to recover and bounce back,” he said.

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“On the 4th day what we could sense was, everyone in the dressing room was feeling for us. Everyone in the changing room, including the substitutes running with water were sledging Australians. I still remember Ashish Nehra, running with water was sledging Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh. So that was the turn-around by the Lunch time on 4th Day,” he added.

The off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who had taken a hat-trick in the match, and had finished with six wickets in the 2nd innings, further said that the stadium holds a special place in his heart. “I’ve taken a hat-trick, five-fors, won two IPL titles. This ground is special. It always feels special coming back here, it’s like coming home,” he said during the interaction.

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