It is recognized as the knock of the century. No other innings evokes such fond memories and awe as VVS Laxman’s 281 at the Eden Gardens in 2001. Stylish Hyderabadi chutzpah and steely determination combined beautifully to construct a magnificent edifice that halted the bull run of Steve Waugh’s rampaging Aussies. Laxman vividly recounts those epic innings for TOI… Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Your total of 1415 runs is still the home season record. Did playing quality spinners in the nets help Hyderabad better counter Shane Warne?My dream has always been to win the Ranji Trophy for Hyderabad and the 1415 runs I scored in nine matches was really a by-product of trying to contribute to that goal. Looking back, the 1999–2000 home season is very special to me. That season gave me a lot of confidence and assurance about my game. The 353 I scored in the Ranji semi-final against Karnataka was another memorable moment as it required a lot of focus, patience and the ability to stay focused for a long time.
EXCLUSIVE: Rahul Dravid’s iconic Eden Gardens win against Australia in 2001
When I came into the Indian team after this season, the confidence level was naturally quite high. But international cricket is always a different challenge, especially when you face the quality bowling that Australia had at the time.
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Was VVS Laxman’s 281 innings at Eden Gardens the biggest innings in Test cricket history?
In Hyderabad, I was fortunate enough to face some very good spinners in the nets. These sessions were extremely valuable in helping me develop quality counter spin methods. Of course, nothing can really replicate the skill and variation of someone like Shane Warne, but regularly facing quality spin has certainly helped build the confidence and clarity needed to thrive in matches.Tell us how physio Andrew Leipus was able to get you on the park?Two days before the Test, my back went into a severe spasm and I could barely move. The credit for getting me on the field really goes to Leipus. He worked tirelessly through the night and into the early morning, giving me treatment, stretching and pain management. Even though I was probably only 50-60 per cent fit, both Sourav and John Wright wanted me to play a Test. I was not physically well throughout the match. Every movement reminded me of a pain in my back, but when you represent your country you just find a way to endure the pain and keep going and the mind becomes stronger than the body.Pain seems to get the best of you. Eden and then Mohali…I wouldn’t say the pain got the best of me, but those moments definitely tested my resolve. At Eden, the situation required patience and faith, especially while building a partnership with Rahul. In Mohali (vs Australia, October 2010), back pain made every move difficult, but when you’re so close to helping your team win, you somehow find the strength to carry on. I feel grateful that on both occasions I was able to contribute in a way that helped India.Also, from your early years, the longer you stay at the wicket, the better the run will be…At the start of the innings, I always focused on taking my time on the wicket and understanding the conditions, the pace of the wicket and how the bowlers were performing. Once I spent some time in the middle, my footwork became decisive and I was able to pick the length much earlier, which makes a big difference. When this happens, the mind clears and the shots you practice at the nets start to come into play naturally. From there it’s about trusting your natural game and being a little more active once you’re ready.
VVS Laxman (Getty Images)
Early length selection is definitely a hallmark of your swing. Did you feel like it was your day?On the day, even though we were under pressure, I felt I saw the ball well and my footwork was quite decisive, which helped me control the game for shots. Choosing your length early will always give you extra time to play your shots. But as a batsman, you never assume it will be your day. The focus is just on staying in the moment, being disciplined and building shift after session.In the first innings, Steve Waugh had a fielder on the boundary to get you off strike and you were caressing the ball on the carpet…When you’re in a good rhythm, you can still break through the gaps along the ground and find the boundary. I timed the ball really well at that stage and even though Steve Waugh pushed a lot of fielders to the boundary, I focused on positioning. The idea was to stay positive, take most of the strike and continue to build the innings without forcing anything.You and Rahul have been involved in many partnerships for the South Zone. But here it was different. Rahul came with the order. Did he ever show it during that long partnership? And what were the conversations about in the middle of the field?Rahul and I have built some memorable partnerships right from our age group cricket. Just about a month before this Test, we had 300 runs for the South Zone against West in the Duleep Trophy. Here, however, the situation was completely different. The match situation was pretty grim and he was incredibly calm and professional when he came on at number 6. He understood exactly what the team needed and focused on the job at hand. Our conversations were mostly about staying patient, being proactive when the opportunity presents itself, and breaking the day into small passages. The key was to support each other and keep the scoreboard moving.A fifth wicket partnership of 376 runs proved crucial…The immediate focus was on rebuilding the innings and batting. Once Rahul and I settled in, the idea was to make the bowlers work hard and wear them down slowly. We tried to play our best, rotate our shots and take advantage whenever we were presented with an opportunity. As the partnership grew, you could feel the pressure gradually shifting back to Australia. Even after reaching our individual milestones, we never got complacent as the goal was to hold on to batting as long as possible and ideally make it through the fourth day. Given your physical condition, gaming was a steep climb. How did you break it down?It was physically very demanding, especially in those conditions, but we both understood how important that partnership was to the team. We both had the ability to bat for long periods but tried to break the day into smaller phases. Approaching it this way really helps because you’re only focusing on the next passage of the game. We kept encouraging each other and reminding ourselves that the longer we stayed there, the more pressure would shift back to Australia.The second new ball on the fourth morning was crucial…We knew the bowlers were going to come at us hard. So the second new ball was a very important phase of the game. Our plan was to stay very compact, play late and leave as much outside off stump as possible. The idea was to get rid of that early spell and not give them any early wickets. Once the shine wore off and we got through that period, it allowed us to regain control and start building innings again.And the pressure got to the Aussies as the boundary balls started to flow?When the bowling attack has to return long spells without success, it can be quite challenging. Once Rahul and I were set up, we tried to capitalize whenever they missed their lengths a bit and converted those opportunities into boundaries. This gradually shifted the momentum in our favor.Did the drinking players anger the Aussies too?There was a lot of energy around the ground and in the dressing room. Players bringing drinks would occasionally deliver messages or encouragement from the team and the Eden Gardens crowd was incredibly loud. I think at times the enthusiasm of the Aussies was a bit irritating, but for us it was just part of the support we were getting. What did the Eden Test do for Indian cricket?At the time, Australia were such a dominant side that defeating them after the follow-on was incredibly significant. This match was very special for Indian cricket as it strengthened the belief that we can come back from extremely difficult situations and still win a Test match. She has shown the value of resilience, patience and faith in Test cricket. It gave us a lot of confidence going forward as a team and showed that if we stay mentally strong we can compete with the best teams in the world.With VVS Laxman in good form in the first innings scoring a fluent half-century, coach John Wright and captain Sourav Ganguly decided to swap his batting position with Rahul Dravid in the second innings on day three. Laxman was promoted to No.3 while Dravid moved to No.6 – a decision that would later become one of the most famous tactical moves in Test cricket history.
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