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- B.V.Swagath

With just a little over a day’s time left for the 2^nd Test Match at the M.A.Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, Cricketfundas.com takes its readers three years back to March 2001.  It was the last test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The series was nicely levelled at 1-1 and M.A.C was the perfect host for the decider. India were on cloud nine after a miraculous win in Kolkata and no wonder the favourites tags were with India. But can we ever count away the Aussies? No…never! Anyway let’s rewind back to that exciting decider of the Test Series that was played from 18^th to the 22^nd of March 2001.

India got a major jolt prior to the match as it’s No.1 wicket keeper Nayan Mongia pulled out of the match in the last minute after an injury (Little did this poor man know that he wouldn’t be playing Test Cricket anymore for India!). That got two debutants for India, two Bombay boys (not really boys) - Samir Dighe, who got the keeping gloves and leg spinner Sairaj Bahutule, left arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarini made a comeback replacing Hyderabad’s Venkatapathy Raju. Australia called up FUNKY – Collin Miller for his usefulness in bowling medium pacers and off-breaks over Kasprowicz.

Steve Waugh won the all important toss and it was Australia taking first strike. Zaheer and Ganguly opened for India and for Australia, it was Slater and Hayden. Zaheer drew first blood sending back Slater nicking to the slips off Ball no.3 of the match! Jeez what a start it was! Ganguly bowled a couple of overs as if for formality sake and the very 6^th over of the innings it was ‘bring the TURBANATOR into the attack!’ Hayden and Langer had a clear cut plan in their mind and that was not to allow the Sardar get into a rhythm. As the big shots started to flow through the bats, Aussies were progressing but the halt was provided by Harbhajan, who got Langer to edge to Dravid at slip. Australia were down at 67/2 but they were not going to go down into a shell. Hayden was joined by the classy Mark Waugh and the two continued to play their shots and took Australia past 200. At 217/2, debutant Sairaj Bahutule picked up his first test scalp in the form of Mark Waugh as the latter tried to hoike him for a 6 but couldn’t time his shot and substitute fielder and local boy Hemang Badani at extra covers picked up a good catch. Mark was replaced by his twin brother Steve and Aussies continued to run away with their attacking cricket. It was the end of Day 1 and the Kangaroos were sitting pretty in the hot Chennai Sun at 326/3.

It was for divine intervention or it was for the pressure of the vociferous support that the Indians were getting from the stands…Steve Waugh in an ‘act of foolishness for a split second’ decided to handle the ball after attempting a sweep shot. Steve was so nervous after the huge appeal from the Indians for an lbw shout that he patted the ball away with his hand. That was the opening the Indians wanted. And that was followed with the usual Ponting lunging forward to Bhajji, only to be foxed by a doosra and get stumped and Gilchrist again fell sweeping to Harbhajan. Australia were losing wickets in a hurry but Hayden stood tall to do his job. After Hayden reached his well deserved double hundred, it was just a few more minutes before Hayden got out and Australia got bowled out for 391. The last 7 wickets fell for just 65 runs and Harbhajan was instrumental after ending up with 7 for 133 in over 38 overs. India were on their way to match the 391 as their two openers Das and Ramesh put on a century stand. V.V.S.Laxman continued from where he had left at Kolkata as he scored a brisk 50. In fact all the top 6 batsmen notched up half centuries with the exception of skipper Ganguly. Tendulkar scored yet another Test Match hundred. Early part of Day 4 saw India’s 1^st innings fold at 501, a lead of 110.

Australia had to make mincemeat of the first innings lead of 110 to have any chances of winning the series and they were well on course with it. Hayden and Slater provided the platform with a rapid 80+ opening stand. But the momentum gave in after Kulkarni removed Hayden at 82/1. Gilchrist was promoted up the order at no.3 but the Aussies began to lose wickets at regular intervals. No guesses for who had caused the flurry, as it was Harbhajan Singh once again picking up a ‘five for’. Bhajji took 8 for 84 in his 42 overs and Australia were bowled out for 264. That left India with a moderate target of 155 to lift the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

It wasn’t going to be a smooth victory for the Indians after McGrath bounced out the little S.S.Das with India at 18/1. That got in V.V.S.Laxman and runs came in plenty of both Ramesh’s and Laxman’s blades. A terrible mix up between the two batsmen ended Sadagapon Ramesh’s neat innings and India were at 76/2, the job almost half done. India got to 100 in quick time at almost 4.0 runs per over and at the score of 101/2, the drama started to unfold and it was as if we were going to witness a new twist to the tale. The ‘Never Say Die’ Aussies kept believing that they had a firm grip on the test match as they triggered a sensational middle order collapse. Jason Gillespie and Colin Miller were doing the damage and India slumped to 122/5. At 135/5, V.V.S Laxman pulled a rank long hop from Colin Miller, the ball had four runs written over it. But what happened was a diving Mark Waugh pulling off an unbelievable catch at short midwicket. India were down at 135/6 and make that 135/7 with Bahutule packed off for a duck by Colin Miller. Zaheer Khan who came in at no.9 stuck for a while and helped Samir Dighe and his edgy batting to take India an inch closer to victory. Just four runs away from the win and McGrath provided the break removing Zaheer. At 153/5, Harbhajan finished off the series in style by squeezing out a full length delivery to covers off McGrath to pick up the remaining runs. India won the match and with that the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2-1. The Man of the Match award was shared by Harbhajan Singh who picked up 15 wickets and Matt Hayden who scored a double century.

Let’s hope this year’s test at Chennai also ends up in a cliffhanger as it has always been at the M.A.C., India Vs Australia in 1986, India Vs Pakistan in 1999 and India Vs Australia, 2001 all have been tense finishes.

Aus 1^st innings  391 (Hayden 203 M Waugh 70, Harbhajan 7/133)

Ind 1^st innings  501 (Tendulkar 126 Das 84 Dravid 81 Laxman 65 Ramesh 61 , McGrath 3/75)

Aus 2^nd innings 264 ( M.E.Waugh 57, Harbhajan 8/84)

Ind 2^nd innings 155/8 (Laxman 66 Dighe 22*, Miller 3/41)

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