I still get goosebumps: Nayan Mongia reminisces 2001 Eden Gardens Test against Australia

What a match it was! We were beaten in three days in the first Test in Mumbai, but we were determined to reverse the trend in Kolkata. The team was motivated. Of course, we never thought there would be such an exciting contest running for five days. The game was decided in the final session on the last day, and we became part of history. It was my last Test appearance, and I have cherished the memory of that grand contest at Eden Gardens.

We had a captain who led from the front. He backed his players and gave them the confidence to raise their game. He wanted us to play good cricket without feeling any pressure. “Just give your best,” he said to each member, and the team responded. It was an unbelievable match, easily the best that I have seen or played in.

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To win after being asked to follow on was astonishing. V.V.S Laxman and Rahul Dravid batted as if their future depended on that one day, the fourth day of the match. There are no words to describe what that Test match was. I still get goosebumps. To get 650-plus runs in our second innings and then pull off a victory against a team that seemed invincible was awesome.

When Laxman and Dravid walked out to bat on the fourth morning, I took my seat outside the dressing room, padded up. I was slotted to go in next. I remained in that position the entire day. It was a strange feeling, really. I had not experienced anything like that, waiting with pads on the whole day. But I felt so happy too in that situation, as I enjoyed Laxman and Dravid slaying the Australian bowlers with some majestic batting. Their level of concentration was mind-blowing. Laxman was a master at the crease. Dravid was as composed as ever. The pitch played its part too. It had everything for the batters and the bowlers. Their confidence grew with every hour, and once they got into their rhythm, there was little the Australians could do.

The move to push Laxman to the No. 3 slot was a masterstroke. The thinking behind it was that Laxman had such a beautiful touch. He did nothing wrong and produced a batting lesson for the ages. He followed the old advice: never throw your wicket away. It was as if Laxman and Dravid were competing against each other, making life miserable for the Australian bowlers.

Harbhajan Singh produced a dream performance, and there was support from every quarter. Sadagoppan Ramesh was amazing in a close-in position. The team was well aware on the fifth day that there was a chance of making history, even though Australia had lost just three wickets at the tea break. But we also knew the Australians were weak against spin, and Sachin Tendulkar exploited the conditions. It was a delight to watch him as he produced some unplayable balls.

It was a match for a lifetime. Batting and bowling were flawless, and there was a method to the process that coach John Wright had brought in. He insisted that each player give their best and not leave the job to a colleague. We went into the match backing ourselves, and the way was shown by Laxman, Dravid and Harbhajan. Remember, we played the match without Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble.

(As told to Vijay Lokapally)

Published on Mar 14, 2026