The series that set the ball rolling for Indian Cricket

However, Harbhajan once again spun a web and the Australians lost 7 wickets in the final session collapsing to a 212. India had created history and plugged Australia’s 16-game winning streak. For generations to come, this match would be a fairy tale, a bed time story, an epic test in the making. Eden Gardens would be remembered for centuries just for this Test. This Test had other implications off field as well. India had made a statement, a bold one and a loud one. Indians were no more lame ducks that could be stamped upon on the go. We were no piece of cake. The redemption was well in course and this was an early message of the fortitude this team had in its ranks. Sachin Tendulkar for long was the bearer of India’s dreams, agonies, hopes, joys and sorrows. He had to shoulder it all alone. Now, there were two other cricketers who would share the weight and ease the burden of his shoulders. India no more was made up of only Sachin Tendulkar, India was a team now, a force to reckon with.

With the series in balance now, the third test at Chennai assumed great significance and the TRP ratings surged, hitting an all time high. New heroes were taking shape and India were certainly sharpening their knives for they knew this was their best and closest chance at beating the mighty Aussies and pull of a series victory. The Australian camp was shaky as expected. Severely dented by surprise that India sprung up in the previous Test, the Australians were still recouping from the shock. With the Indian batting gaining momentum, Australia had to bowl out India to even draw the Test.

Given the spinning track that India would lay out, Warne was seen as a potential threat as a match winning spell from him was due. Tendulkar was well aware of this and now he seized control. He always likes to be in the middle of the action and so did he in the final test at Chepauk. He whipped Warne all over the park. In the previous test too Laxman had taken on Warne, but never was he outwitted like Tendulkar did in the third Test. That innings showed how shrewd a batsman Tendulkar his. Warne was thoroughly outsmarted. In anticipation of the negative line Warne would resort to, Tendulkar fine tuned his paddle sweep every time Warne bowled drifted down the leg side, Tendulkar swept it behind Gilchrist. Scenes of Warne in complete awe of the master amused the Indian viewers and till today that innings remain special, a manual of sorts on how to deal with such mysterious spinners.

Australia, in the first innings had scored 391 with Mathew Hayden concocting a brilliant double hundred. His knock assumed greater significance such that his score made up two thirds of the total and he was particularly brutal against Harbhajan, the bowler who bamboozled his fellow batsmen. With Tendulkar’s century India had raced to 501, setting an unassailable lead of 110. Australia’s misery against Harbhajan continued and harbhajan galloped through the Australian line up and the Australian batsmen were ridiculed. Never in the recent times had they scratched beneath the surface against a particular bowler and against Harbhajan, it was a meek submission.

Australia were spun out for 264. India had to chase a simple 155 and raced to 101/2. As the drama in the entire series wasn’t enough, India would lose 6 wickets and slump to an egregious 151/8. The dream series for Harbhajan continued and he walked in to strike the winning boundary, a style statement by the Turbanatore. It was as though the situation was God made that Harbhajan had to win the series for India and he was the man of the series. The Indian camp was in sheer euphoria. It was a historic moment for India, an historic series win. The streets of India saw a billion jumping and dancing and setting of crackers. Champagnes were opened, cokes were fizzing and India was partying. India had made a mark in world cricket having drubbed the world champions. The victory couldn’t have been more delectable, after all the trash talk and big mouthing the Austrlian’s had resorted to.

The wheels had just been set in motion. The chariot would be maneuvered by men who were not only zealous about their game, but were zealous only about the game. A sagacious leader, a laborious workhorse, a genius, an underrated anchor and a trickster. The chariot would gallop through other nations letting the Indian flag fly high. After this Oval would happen, Rawalpindi would happen, Capetown would happen, Bulawayo would happen and at the turn of the decade, India would be the number one Test team. Yet this series in 2001 set the ball rolling.