Memorable Test innings by each of the 'Fab Five' of Indian Cricket

#1 VVS Laxman, vs Australia, Eden Gardens, Kolkata (281 off 452 balls)

His 281 is a part of a folklore

At No. 1 comes an innings that changed Indian cricket forever. India had been beaten inside three days in the first Test in Mumbai and looked set to lose the second encounter at the Eden Gardens as well when they were asked to follow on by Steve Waugh after having been bowled out for 171 in response to Australia's 445. Laxman batted at No.6 in the first innings and looked the only batsman comfortable against Warne.

His 50 in the first innings earned him a promotion to the No. 3 spot in the follow-up innings. India started steadily with openers Das and Ramesh putting up a 50 run stand. However, Australia kept chipping away with wickets and when Sourav Ganguly was out in the closing moments of Day 3 with the score reading 232, Steve Waugh's team knew they were a wicket away from conquering the 'Final-Frontier' (as referred to by Waugh before the series).

Dravid and Laxman weave magic at the Eden Gardens

However, the wicket never arrived. In a breathtaking and exhilarating display of grit, passion, perseverance and the will to succeed, the duo of Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid (180) pulverized the Aussies into submission as they batted right through the fourth day. It was batsmanship of Brobdingnagian quality, one that compelled the opposition to admire irrespective of the situation of the game

Laxman went on surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's (236) record of the highest individual score for an Indian batsman and when he was finally out on Day 5 on 281, he, along with Dravid, had put India in a position of strength. Having set Australia an improbable target of 373 runs to win, the Indian bowlers proceeded to bowl Australia out for 212, scripting one of the most memorable Test wins for India, only the third instance of a team winning after being asked to follow-on.