VVS Laxman battled a back injury and helped India get over the line in a thrilling Test in Mohali in 2010 as India defeated Australia by one wicket.
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VVS Laxman had a very peculiar habit when India was emerging as a cricket power in the 90s. He was one of the few players in the world to consistently deny Australia greater glory in their heydays. In 1999, India was whitewashed 3-0 by the mighty Australians. But, it was VVS Laxman and his knock of 167 in Sydney that gave them plenty of joy. In the coming years, Laxman would spectacularly hurt the Australians. His 281 in Kolkata not only ended Australia’s 16-match winning streak in Tests but it changed world cricket.
The years 2003 and 2007 saw Laxman consistently piling on big centuries against Australia. Adelaide and Sydney would be the venues, with the Sydney Cricket Ground being the venue for his three centuries. Even when he did not contribute in a big way in 2004, he played a vital role in India winning the Mumbai Test. But, in 2010, VVS Laxman unfurled yet another dimension to his batting which hurt Australia in a big way.
Prior to the 2010 tour of India, the Australian empire was in decline. They had been beaten 0-2 by India in 2008 and in the same year, suffered a home defeat after 16 years. With Australia no longer the force that they were, India looked to pile on the agony against them. The Mohali Test, though, went totally against India right from the very beginning.
Australia chose to bat and they set the stage rolling with some aggressive batting. Shane Watson hit 126 and was aided by a 92 from Tim Paine and 71 from Ricky Ponting, Australia reached 428. Zaheer Khan was the star with a five-wicket haul in a fabulous display of reverse swing bowling. India responded with 405, thanks to Sachin Tendulkar’s 98. He was trapped LBW by Marcus North as India suffered heartbreak. Along with Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Suresh Raina hammered fifties as Australia managed a slender 23-run lead.
Surprisingly, VVS Laxman batted at No.8. Unknown to many at that time, he was suffering a back injury. This would rule him out of the subsequent Test in Bangalore as well. Laxman fell for 2 as he was caught off the bowling of Nathan Hauritz.
With the pitch deteriorating, Zaheer and his new-ball bowler Ishant Sharma pounced on Australia’s frailties and put on a great show. Zaheer and Ishant took three wickets apiece as Australia were bowled out for 192. Watson was the star yet again with 56 but the rest of the batting put on a sorry show. India were given a target of 216.
In pursuit of 216, India started off badly. Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger took three wickets apiece. Bollinger got the wicket of Tendulkar for 38 as India consistently lost wickets. At 124/8, the game seemed to be up. But, Laxman came in his number six position with a runner. He only had Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha next as the remaining batsmen.
Laxman batted with confidence and took the singles when the opportunity presented itself. At that time, Laxman was considered as the ultimate batsman in a fourth-innings chase. In Mohali, he was showing why he was the best. Laxman capitalized on the loose balls and dispatched it to the boundary. When the opportunity came, he took the single. What helped Laxman greatly was the stoic resistance of Ishant. He stonewalled the bowling and ground the Australian bowlers.
Slowly but surely, Ishant and Laxman were staging a remarkable recovery. India crept up closer to the target and a miracle was about to unfold. Laxman notched up his fifty and had shared an 81-run stand for the ninth wicket. With 11 runs needed, tragedy struck India as Hilfenhaus trapped Ishant LBW for 31. Had DRS being employed at that time, Ishant would have survived as the ball was missing leg stump.
Along with Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman had acquired the reputation of being a gentleman cricketer. He rarely got angry. But, in the Mohali Test, the world saw a different Laxman. Perhaps, the stakes and the glory that was at stake was so much that the desire for Laxman was simply too big.
When there was a mix-up between Pragyan Ojha and his runner Suresh Raina, Laxman was furious. He shouted expletives that would echo all around the IS Bindra stadium. The visuals made for compelling viewing. Laxman angry! That was the beauty of Test cricket. The target had dwindled to single figures.
Pragyan Ojha was on strike against Mitchell Johnson. The No.11 got hit on the pads and Australia appealed. Umpire Billy Bowden gave it not out. Ojha had wandered out of the crease as Australia attempted a run-out. The fielder missed and the ball raced to the boundary for overthrows. Once again, if DRS was used, Ojha would have been trapped LBW on review. When the ball reached the fence, India had secured one of the greatest victories in their history.
Laxman, bad back and all had once again guided India to an improbable victory against Australia. If 2001 was monumental, then 2010 ensured India would never again be intimidated by Australia. Laxman’s 73 was gold dust and it once again showed why he was the ultimate batsman.
However, his injury ruled him out of the Bangalore Test. The Test was punctuated by Sachin Tendulkar’s brilliant double ton. The Test saw the arrival of Cheteshwar Pujara as his calm 72 ensured India had clean swept the Australians 2-0. For Ricky Ponting, he would never win a Test as captain whenever the side toured India.
The 2010 series was the continuation of Australia’s woes against spin and reverse swing in the sub-continent. Australia would lose series against Pakistan in the UAE and against Sri Lanka in 2016. When it came to India, they would lose six consecutive Tests until 2017. Even in that series, they would lose 1-2 after winning the first Test. But, Mohali 2010 will forever be remembered by the brilliance of Laxman.
