File Pic: Harbhajan Singh during the Eden Gardens Test in 2001. I was chatting with Matthew Hayden in Goa the other day. I asked him, “Why did you play that shot in the first innings at Eden Gardens?” It was in the second part of Day 1, he was batting at 97 and absolutely dominating us. Haydos said he was feeling confident and wanted to reach his century with a big shot – but as luck would have it he was caught in the deep by Hemang Badani. That was our first small window of opportunity in this historic test.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Let’s go back to what was before that. With Anil Kumble injured, I was picked for the first Test in Mumbai as I had 28 wickets in the Ranji Trophy that season. At the Wankhede, even though we lost quite heavily, I got four wickets. If I hadn’t had those goals – three in quick succession – I might not have played at Eden.
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At that time, for me, every game was a struggle for survival and I came to Eden Gardens not very optimistic, but focused. It was a wonderful batting wicket on the first day and Australia started where they left off in Mumbai – until we got Hayden. Then I had Mark Waugh caught when he tried to cut.
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What changed the game at Eden Gardens?
What happened after tea changed my life forever. Ricky Ponting, who I also dismissed in Mumbai, came in, probably a little under-confident. I knew I had to attack the stumps. He returned to my van which had skidded and was trapped in the front. Next up was Adam Gilchrist and I wouldn’t fly him because he was a good sweeper. This one also slid in and was in front of the leg.And then came the magical moment. My aim was to keep it full to Shane Warne so if he missed I could get leg early. But the serve was a little too full and he played full-blooded. I will forever be indebted to what Sadagopan Ramesh did at short leg forward. I always say my hat-trick belongs to me as much as Ramesh for that catch. He just reached out his right hand and plucked it out of the air.From 252-4 the Aussies were now 252-6 and suddenly we had hope. But Steve Waugh stood in the way. This Australian team just didn’t give up and Steve scored a brilliant century – his only in India. He batted brilliantly with Jason Gillespie to score 445.When we batted, it seemed like a different pitch. The wickets kept falling, as did the mood in the dressing room as a series loss loomed. Laxman scored 59 in the first innings batting at No. 6 and coach John Wright suggested he should go up in the second.I don’t need to elaborate on what happened during the 4th day. I can tell you what happened in the locker room. None of us were allowed to change our seats because VVS and Rahul Dravid had this incredible partnership. At the end of the day, some of us joked that it was our will and superstition that helped both champions.The morning of the fifth day was a bit of a blur, as a junior I wasn’t part of the decision making process. I understood that there were many dilemmas surrounding the statement. When we hit the pitch before lunch we knew we had a chance.Again I got Steve caught at slip by Hemang Badani, which remains my favorite dismissal of the second innings. Sachin Tendulkar got the three wickets with some brilliant bowling but Jason Gillespie still stood.Dada had a fielder around the bat and we kept attacking. Jason succumbed and then Glenn McGrath. Many have asked me if McGrath was out? Did it hit him a little too far outside the off stump?There was no DRS, no Hawk-eye, it was everything that appeared to the naked eye. For me it was out the moment it hit his pad because he didn’t offer a shot and I’m glad umpire SK Bansal thought of things like that. Those 13 wickets in that test match changed my life forever. I still claim to be born in Punjab but made in Calcutta.(Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh spoke to Dwaipayan Dutta)
