This day that year: VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid put up one of India’s greatest partnerships in 2001 | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The India-Australia series in 2001 is said to be one of the greatest ever played between the two countries. The second Test of the series at the majestic Eden Gardens is said to have changed Indian cricket forever. The date was March 14 and the protagonists were VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.
India down 0-1 in the three-match Test series, were bowled out for 171 in reply to Australia‘s 445 in the second Test and were asked to follow on … and then it all turned very, very special. The hero for India was VVS Laxman, whose 83-ball 59 from No. 6 inspired the move to send him in at No. 3 when India batted a second time on the third day.

The Sourav Ganguly-led side played cautiously in the second innings and lost three wickets for 115 runs.
India lost Ganguly in the 67th over of the innings, with the side getting reduced to 232/4.
Dravid then joined Laxman in the middle. The next 104 overs were a nightmare for the Aussies as the Indian duo stitched a 376-run stand to revive the innings and helped the team stage a dramatic comeback in the match.
Dravid scored 180 runs, while Laxman slammed 281, his highest score in Test cricket.
Laxman finished the day not out on 109 and with Dravid batted the entire fourth day while adding 335; the eventual stand of 376 broke a series of records and took India to 589/4.
Ganguly’s declaration with a lead of 383 set Australia 75 overs to bat out a draw; Harbhajan Singh, whose first-innings 7 for 123 on day one included the first hat-trick by an Indian in Tests, took six wickets to bowl India to an epic win on March 15.