‘Thought we’d smoke cigars and retain the BGT trophy’: Hayden recalls how Dravid and Laxman’s historic Kolkata partnership defied all odds

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden recalled his playing days against former Indian head coach and skipper Rahul Dravid. Sharing the best memory of Dravid’s career, Hayden highlighted how Dravid and VVS Laxman made them pay in the historic Kolkata Test 2001.

Australia had won the opening Test match at Mumbai comprehensively by 10 wickets and they were in a commanding position in the second Test at Eden Gardens after Steve Waugh decided to enforce the follow-on after India was skittled out for 171 after Australia posted 445. However, Dravid and Laxman added a gargantuan alliance of 376 runs to turn a corner.

Laxman scored a majestic knock of 281 runs whereas Dravid scored 180 runs. Harbhajan Singh then returned with impressive figures of 6-73 as India registered a memorable win by 171 runs.

“Sadly, from an Australian cricket point of view, it was the incredible partnership that he had up at Eden Gardens. There was nothing more sacred than that partnership with VVS Laxman. We walked onto the bus that day up in Kolkata and there was a fresh box of Cuban cigars Michael Slater said we’ll be smoking these at the end of the day and we’ll have retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” said Hayden on CEAT Cricket awards as quoted by The Hindustan Times. 

“Well, you had something to say about that batting all day with VVS Laxman in an extraordinary partnership. Obviously, the one in Adelaide as well was just something else. Under pressure, Australia put everything on the line against Rahul and did it with great grace, great composure, and always a great sense of fairness. In a game, which can tempt you to win at all costs Rahul Dravid won on the principles of cricket and the principles of life,” he concluded.

The Kolkata Test is etched in the golden pages of Indian cricket and that was a big win for India. The hosts then won the third Test match at Chennai by two wickets and took the series by 2-1.