The miracle that everyone had prayed for
But the job wasn’t done yet. Laxman and Dravid went on to script individual records, ensuring that their partnership set a few milestones too. The duo put on 335 runs batting throughout the day. As they walked back towards the pavilion at the end of the day, they knew they had not only broken the Australians but also given India more than a fighting chance in this Test.
The scoreboard showed 589/4 – a comfortable lead of 315 – with Laxman unbeaten on 275 and Dravid unbeaten on 155. Neither of them could carry on for long on Day 5, but Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar’s efforts with the ball earned India a memorable victory.
Interestingly, Laxman could never outscore himself in the years that followed till his retirement although his romance with Eden Gardens continued to remain as strong as ever. It was that match that changed the dynamics of Indian cricket and laid the stepping stones for becoming the No. 1 side that they are now.
The whole cricketing world woke up to a new sun post the Eden Test. Indeed, the iconic image of Laxman and Dravid walking off the field, helmets off, drenched in sweat, and soaking in the adulation of 50,000 remains one of the most defining pictures of the game even to this day.
