Twenty-five years after India pulled off one of Test cricket’s greatest comebacks at the Eden Gardens in 2001, the legend Sachin Tendulkar Relive the drama of that unforgettable match against Australia. In this interview, the batsman reflects on the buzz around Steve WaughSeemingly invincible, belief in the dressing room after Mumbai’s crushing defeat, and Pipe Laxman and Rahul DravidAn epic partnership. Tendulkar also recalled his unexpected performance on the final day when his “out of the box” bowling helped break Australia’s resistance. He explains how that famous win transformed India’s confidence and why the Eden Test remains one of the greatest wins of his career.There was already some buzz before that series even came out, wasn’t it? Australia lands here after winning 15 consecutive Tests.
Yes, there was a lot of buzz before Australia got to India because they beat everyone convincingly. I was in Pune for the West Zone Duleep Trophy match against East Zone. The media asked me if I thought we could beat Australia. My answer is yes. I say that because they were never in a stressful situation. So if we can put them in a stressful situation, we need to see how they react.Did you prepare differently for this series?Nothing specific. I just kept everything normal because I was playing well and I was scoring runs in the Duleep Trophy. I’m in a good mood. In fact, in the first test at Wankhede, I scored 76 and 67 points.Despite your contribution in Mumbai, the team lost within three days. How did you feel when traveling to Kolkata?As we head to Kolkata, the team is determined to fight back. Losing a game in a three-game series is never a good feeling. So, we are all ready and determined to win that Test, go to Chennai and lock them in there. But our first game was not good. But I remember VVS Laxman scored 59 runs.Tell us how you watched Laxman and Dravid work together in the dressing room, especially on day four.Since VVS batted well in the first innings, coach John Wright, captain Sourav Ganguly and several seniors in the dressing room decided that he should bat at No. 3 in the second innings. VVS batted really well and so did Rahul. Day 4 was a special day for us. From where we set out in the morning to where we arrived in the evening, everything changed. The thought process is different and there is excitement in the air. We felt that if we could score a quick score on the fifth morning and get Australia into it and see how the Australians approach all the games, we knew they would go for the total and play aggressively. That’s how it happened.What’s so special about this collaboration?It’s easy to go out and have a great game and then go back to the locker room. But time is also of the essence in the Garden of Eden. If we could score quickly and give Australia time, I don’t know if it would have worked. In addition to building a big total, occupying the crease is also important. Therefore, they occupy the crease for long periods of time. Long batting requires more than just physical stamina; It’s also about mental capacity, how long you can focus without giving them a chance. I thought the way they both hit the ball was just amazing. We’ve reached the point where there can only be one winner. I said it before the series started, it will be great to see how Australia respond under pressure. Then there’s Rahul, VVS and Harbhajan, all three of whom have contributed to India’s success on day five. From that point on, we started capitalizing.
Take us back to day five, the final meeting. Sourav Ganguly takes you inside the bowling alley. Is it just to change the purpose? Watching a series of events on YouTube today, did he say “that’s all”? You ended up bowling 11 balls and picking up three important wickets.Harbhajan bowled extremely well. However, for some reason we had a hard time picking wickets for a while. When you bring a team into more than two meetings, you can’t expect them to leave easily. If a pair plays for a while, you feel a partnership is building, but the results are not going to be in our favour. We have to pick wickets often. I remember Sourav asking me, “Why don’t you bowl from this end?” I have also seen the video of Sourav talking to me. But it was never about just playing one game. In Test cricket during that period and the matches before that, I bowled regularly and would provide the odd breakthrough on a regular basis. I bowled from the pavilion end and got two crucial wickets.Usually, you bowl leg to right-handers and spin to left-handers, especially in white-ball cricket. But Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist are two attacking left-handers with full length legs. What’s the idea behind this?Yes, these two were actually responsible for Australia beating us in the first Test because they had a great partnership and scored hundreds. I managed to bail them both out as LBW tried to sweep but missed.That’s great for Vaughn. If I had to choose, it would be a champion with long legs like him. But you covered it up perfectly. When did you think of bowling?I have always believed that when someone like me starts bowling, I should keep trying and not be predicted. I should be doing different things, outside the box, rather than being an average bowler. I’ve always believed in catching the batsman off guard. Warney’s door is a prize door to me. I don’t think he chose me, nor did he anticipate the amount of attention I would get from my Google. Badji bowled really well. We just need someone to support him. We are working hard, but things are not going in our favor. But those three wickets helped us get back on track and end the game with a win.What impact does the victory at Eden Gardens have on Indian cricket?Our confidence index soared. When we went to Chennai, even though it was a new game, we felt like we had the upper hand. We feel like 70% of this collection belongs to us. And, even though Hayden was incredible in that series, we managed to score a total in the first innings and put the pressure on Australia again. Thanks again to Budge there, he picked a lot of wickets. Rahul and I both scored again. I scored a hundred and we won the series. Victories like the one we had at Eden make a huge difference. There is no medicine like victory. It is a tonic that energizes you. Memories stay with you forever. But it also helps the next generation. You know, when the younger generation watches us play on TV, they’re inspired.Among the many great wins in your career, where would you rank the Eden win?In top wins. If you had any victory anywhere in the world, Eden Gardens 2001 would be talked about and will always be talked about.
