Former Indian great V.V.S. Laxman’s epic Test knock of 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens Kolkata in 2001 is rated the greatest Test performance of the last 50 years.
This astonishing honor was Bestowed upon Laxman by his fellow players, commentators, Cricket analysts and journalists in a poll published in the ESPN’s digital magazine, the Cricket Monthly, in the January edition.
In the unforgettable Test match, Laxman scored 59 in the first innings and promoted himself to No.3 in the second innings when India was trailing by 274 runs. After Laxman’s knock of 281, India went on to win the match, which the side was about to lose by a huge margin, if not for his knock.
Australian legendary Leg-spinner Shane Warne recalled the astonishing knock of Laxman and said, “I was bowling in the foot marks and Laxman was hitting the same ball through cover or whipping it through midwicket. It was so hard to bowl then.”
World cup-winning captain and Australia’s leading run scorer Ricky Ponting said, “his work through the leg side in particular was a source of wonderment to many of us. Ultimately we bowled for near enough to two days at him without even looking like getting him out.”