Year 2001, Kolkata Eden Gardens grounds And in front was the strong Australian team… It seemed that Australia would win this test match easily, but it did not happen. By defeating Australia, India registered such a victory, the echo of which is heard till today. Before this match, Australia had won 15 consecutive Test matches and was considered invincible.
Remembering this historic match after 25 years Sachin Tendulkar told The Times of India that the team believed from the beginning that if pressure was put on Australia, they could be defeated. He said that that victory completely changed the confidence of the Indian team and it is one of the biggest victories of his career.
Full story in questions and answers
Question: There was a lot of discussion about Australia before that series, how was the atmosphere?
Sachin Tendulkar: At that time, Australia had won 15 consecutive Tests, so there was a lot of discussion. When I was asked whether we can beat them, I said yes, if we can put them under pressure then we will have to see how they react.
Question: Did you make any special preparations for that series?
Sachin Tendulkar: No, I did not make any special preparation. I was in good form at that time and was also scoring runs in the Duleep Trophy. So everything was kept normal.
Question: How was the atmosphere of the team after losing the Mumbai Test?
Sachin Tendulkar: Losing the first Test at Wankhede Stadium was not a good experience, but when we reached Kolkata, the team had made up its mind to make a comeback. All the players were ready to level the series.
Question: How was it to watch the partnership of Laxman and Dravid from the dressing room?
Sachin Tendulkar: The batting of VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid was excellent. The fourth day’s play was special for us. He batted for a long time and changed the entire course of the match.
Question: What was most special about that partnership?
Sachin Tendulkar: It was very important not only to score runs but also to stay at the crease for a long time. Both mental strength and patience changed the outcome of the match.
Question: Why did the captain bowl to you on the fifth day?
Sachin Tendulkar: Sourav Ganguly asked me to bowl from one end. At that time Harbhajan Singh was bowling brilliantly, but we needed wickets in between.
Question: How did you dismiss Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist?
Sachin Tendulkar: Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist caused us a lot of damage in the first Test. I got him out LBW on a full length ball when he tried to play a sweep.
Question: What was the thinking behind dismissing Shane Warne?
Sachin Tendulkar: It was special to dismiss a great bowler like Shane Warne. I always tried to make my bowling unpredictable, hence used googly.
Question: What impact did that victory have on Indian cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar: After that victory the team’s confidence increased a lot. We went to Chennai and won the series there. Such victories give new energy to the team and inspire the coming generations.
Question: Where do you place this victory in your career?
Sachin Tendulkar: This is one of my biggest wins. If we talk about great cricket victories anywhere in the world, Eden Gardens 2001 will definitely be remembered.
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