When you sit back and reflect on players who have dominated the game and make it into most world XI lists, you will tend to think of those who have great records against all oppositions home and away.
What is also interesting is to look at those who specialised in domination against a favoured opposition. That list would include Bradman against England, Gavaskar against West Indies, Andy Flower against India and Lara against Sri Lanka to name a few. Ask any of those gentlemen in the opposing camps and they will speak of these champion players in a bittersweet yet awestruck tone.
Extra Cover: Sachin Tendulkar's five best Test knocks vs Australia in India
For me, there has not been a sweeter domination than the extraordinary works of VVS Laxman against an indomitable champion side that conquered all, Australia. Shane Warne spoke about nightmares against Sachin, well against VVS he got stung by beauty without realising what hit him.
Laxman in his heydeys, batting in India, dancing down the track and driving with and against the spin on turning tracks, filled the heart with joy. His stats against Australia in India read an impressive aggregate of 1198 runs at an average of 57.04 leaving an indelible mark on the Indian cricketing fraternity and fans for a long time to come.
On that note, take a look at Laxman’s top five innings against Australia (in India).
#1 200*, 3rd Test: Delhi, 1st innings, 2008
On a good batting track at the Feroz Shah Kotla, India won the toss and chose to bat first. Sehwag and Dravid were dismissed early and India were in a tricky position at 27/2. Sachin and Gambhir steadied the ship before the former was dismissed for Laxman to walk in at 157/3.
Leading 1-0 in the series, India had to beware of the comeback from the Aussies and not give an inch. From this moment on, the match could swing either way and Australia were looking to wrest control, looking to dismiss India under 300 with some fiery spells from Lee and Johnson.
What ensued was a masterclass from VVS to bring up his second double hundred against the Aussies. He pulled the fast bowlers with ease and drove through the covers as if it were a net session. The torment was languid and had a sense of inevitability; you just knew that Laxman was in the zone.
He smelt the fear of the opposition and numbed them into submission. India finished at 613 and the match ended in a draw. Gambhir also got a double hundred in a big partnership but this match will be remembered for the ultimate endorsement of Laxman’s dominance over the men from Down Under.
#2 59, 2nd Test: Kolkata, 1st innings, 2001
Australia moved from what appeared to be a below par day 1 score of 291/8 to a commanding 445, thanks to Steve Waugh who led from the front with a lower order partnership with Gillespie that frustrated India. India came out on day 2 and cautiously moved to 31/1 at tea before the drama began to unfold.
The openers, Sachin, and Dravid fell cheaply to stun a large and raucous home crowd as the scoreboard read 88/4 when Laxman walked in. The Aussies continued to pick wickets and before you knew it, it was 97/7 and it was getting almost embarrassing for the home team.
When the tailenders began to walk in, one man decided that he was not going to give in. This moment, ladies and gentlemen, will be remembered as one of the most pivotal moments in India’s cricketing history. The Hyderabad-born batsman struck 12 boundaries in his score of 59. He was given out incorrectly, caught off the arm, and India finished at 171, staring at a follow-on and a massive defeat.
#3 69, 4th Test: Mumbai, 2nd innings, 2004
A series showcased as ‘The Final Frontier’ for Ricky Ponting’s No. 1 ranked Australian Test team, was already wrapped up 2-0 by the visiting side going into the 4th and final Test in Mumbai. India were playing for pride and the Wankhede groundsman did what he could to prepare a rank turner.
India won the toss and predictably chose to bat first. Glenn McGrath, Gillespie and Kasprowicz wrecked havoc with movement in the air and off the pitch in sticky conditions to leave India rattling at 33/5.
Dravid fought hard and stayed unbeaten while Hauritz, on his debut, showed what incredible turn and bounce the pitch had to offer as India folded their 1st innings for a paltry 104. Australia came out with a positive mindset and played attacking cricket knowing that eventually, a ball from the Indian spinners will turn, bounce or both, and ended at 203, picking up a very handy lead of 99.
India started their 2nd innings disastrously as they fell to 14/2 with both their openers dismissed. The stage was set for a VVS special to counter attack on a minefield against quality bowling.
Laxman scored a gorgeous, attacking 69, the highest score in the Test match as Michael Clarke picked up 6/9 but India did well, given the pitch conditions to set Australia a target of 107.
The Indian spinners bowled with fire to wipe out Australia for 93 in what was an eventful end to the Test match. Only one man from the sides which had greats like Dravid, Ponting, Tendulkar and Clarke, had the commentators saying, “He looked set” and that man was Laxman.
#4 73, 4th Test: Mohali, 2nd innings, 2010
This match will be remembered as one of the greatest wins from a backs-against-the-wall situation. Literally and figuratively, a man with a bad back stood tall and faced adversity.
Australia won the toss and batted first; a century from Watson and fifties from Ponting and Paine took Australia to a good score of 428. India replied with a solid batting display to reach 405 thanks to Sachin Tendulkar’s 98. Laxman came into bat at No. 10 after suffering from a bad back injury whilst on the field. The Hyderabadi didn’t look comfortable at all as he made just two runs in the first innings.
The Indian bowlers bowled with discipline and control in the 2nd innings to restrict Australia to a score of 192. India, chasing a target of 216, began poorly losing Gambhir in the first over. Wickets fell regularly and it was 76/5 when VVS walked in, still struggling with a bad back.
Three more wickets fell around him, those of Sachin, Dhoni and Harbhajan and the scoreboard read 124/8, when a tall and lanky Ishant Sharma walked to the crease. India still needed 92 runs with a severely injured batsman and two tailenders who didn’t inspire confidence on a 5th-day pitch.
What followed was an extremely gritty knock from a player known for his artistry as Laxman counterattacked Ponting’s every aggressive move and held the door tight, preventing the Aussies from getting a sniff of victory while Ishant played a grand supporting role.
However, just as the finishing line got closer, Australia struck, sending Ishant packing with 11 runs to be scored. The final passage of play was one of the most heart-in-mouth, tense moments ever seen on a cricket pitch.
After a heated exchange of words between Laxman and Ojha regarding the latter’s running between the wickets, the duo held their nerve to take India to a memorable victory. The headline that appeared in most newspapers the next day was, ‘Long live Test cricket’.
#5 281, 2nd Test, Kolkata, 2nd innings, 2001
An epoch, a blue moon, Hailey’s comet, Laxman at Kolkata. The innings that altered the cricket world’s perception of India. To quote Douglas Jardine, “Cricket is battle and service and sport and art.”
After India were bowled out meekly by the Aussies, Steve Waugh sensed the kill and enforced the follow-on. The Indian openers SS Das and Ramesh got off to a steady start before Ramesh fell to Warne with India at 52.
Ganguly then took the decision to promote Laxman from number 6 to number 3. The Hyderabad-born batsman resumed from where he left off in the first innings. Australia picked up a couple more wickets and Sachin was back in the hut with India at 115/3.
VVS went on his merry way, unfazed by the situation and picked off every loose ball, to stitch a 100-run partnership with Ganguly and the scoreboard moved to 232 before Ganguly fell to McGrath.
In walked Dravid in his new position at No. 6 and the duo saw off day 3 with India at 254/4, still trailing by an innings and 232 runs and the top 4 batsmen dismissed.
Day 4 produced India’s most remarkable turnaround, a reversal of momentum as Laxman plundered both Warne and the pacers. Down the track against the spin, coupled with lashing cuts and wristy whips, there was no respite as VVS scripted history to accumulate 281.
Some say, this knock was the best innings in the history of Test cricket and it would take a brave man to refute this claim.
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