5 greatest comebacks in Indian cricket

1. India v/s Australia (Eden Gardens, 2001)

Reams have been written on the game that turned the Indians from easy prey to roaring predators. It will be tagged as Laxman’s Test forever – apt, but not quite complete.

To cut a long story short, India came into the second Test of the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the back of a humiliating defeat at Mumbai. After the Australians amassed a huge first innings total, India slumped to 171 all out and suffered the ignominy of a follow-on, still 274 behind.

Laxman, sent in at No. 3, ended Day Three on another three-figure score, unbeaten on 109, and with him was the woefully out of form Rahul Dravid, batting on a dogged seven run score. Little did anyone know the magic that would be unleashed the next day.

Both batsmen remained unconquered, unaffected by anything Steve Waugh threw their way. Laxman progressed to a double century, while Dravid reached the three-figure knock and took an uncharacteristic swipe at the press box, gesturing fiercely at the ones who had written him off. India declared their second innings and gave the Aussies a target of 384.

Harbhajan Singh then ran through the rival line-up, and boosted by Tendulkar’s triple strike, India achieved a thrilling victory, equalling the series.