VVS Laxman's five best Test knocks vs Australia in India

#5 281, 2nd Test, Kolkata, 2nd innings, 2001

Laxman’s greatest ever knock

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.