This day very many years ago on 22nd March 2001 happened to be a Thursday and an unforgettable day in my life. It was the 5th and last day of the final test in the series between India and Australia and all roads pointed to an epic final day finish at Chepauk. The series was locked horns at 1 apiece in the series dubbed as "The Final Frontier" and it all came boiling down to that final day's play which would decide the outcome of one of the greatest test series ever played on Indian soil.
In the previous test played at the Eden Gardens, India had halted Australia's unenviable run of 16 consecutive test match victories by upstaging them in mind boggling fashion by making a comeback for the ages after virtually being on the brink of an embarrassing defeat thanks to a miraculous turnaround staged by Laxman & Dravid who batted unabated all through Day 4 without losing their wickets laying the foundation on the next day for Harbhajan to run through the Aussie line up thus enabling the only 3rd instance in which a side has won a test match after being asked to follow on.
Coming to this test match at the M A Chidambaram Stadium, India was on top going into Day 5 but there was a certain Steve Waugh still there at the crease seeing through Day 4. The Aussies were 100 odd ahead with 7 down and everyone knew that if Waugh was castled early on Day 5, the game was there to be taken for India.
A bunch of us from Class X A - PS Senior Sec School had cut school the previous day and gone to witness the penultimate day's action and with the way match was placed and history beckoning, all of us again wanted to bunk and watch the final days play too. But then we got calls from fellow classmates on the 4th day evening saying the situation was grim in school and they were collecting fines and another day of absence will result in parents being called and given a severe warning. It was a big decision to take whether to go to Chepauk and watch history being created or go to school like typical chamathu (nice) P.S pasanga (boys) and avoid unnecessary consequences.
We came to school on the 5th day morning but our minds were still not in place and constantly deviating. It was '0' period and the teacher had still not come, we suddenly gathered courage and decided 'Let hell break loose' we will end up going for the match. And then we made our way till the P.S back gate to leave when it suddenly dawned upon us as to what will happen if someone complained that we all came to class and left for the match. There were always some Naradars :O (complaining types). I even now vividly remember the discussion we had in Gate 2 (Back Gate) and after speaking for couple of minutes we all disappointingly but unanimously decided to get back to class. In fact even after getting back to class, the teacher had still not come evincing semblances of hope once again to go back but it was a touch too late.
And then History happened...
Waugh was dismissed early on Day 5 and India quickly wrapped up the tail requiring just 155 to win. Then there was a mini stutter as you always expect with India as they started losing quick wickets. Laxman however was again standing between the Aussies ticking along and taking India to safety. As I was about to leave school for the day, I heard in the transistor (no cell phones back then) that Laxman was caught brilliantly by Mark Waugh with India still needing 20 to win. And then just as I reached home, I entered with the news that Sameer Dighe and the series superstar Harbhajan Singh had taken India to victory and I was just in time to witness the presentation ceremony.
Chepauk was buzzing with excitement and there were scenes of euphoria all round. The atmosphere was simply electric and was clearly evident even viewing it from an old 21 inch Philips Television set. India had staged a remarkable comeback which all started on Day 4 of the Eden Gardens test which culminated and reached the pinnacle on Day 5 at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium. India had won perhaps the greatest test series ever played in its cricketing history. In cricketing parlance, it felt like the equivalence of conquering Mount Everest.
Coming to this test match at the M A Chidambaram Stadium, India was on top going into Day 5 but there was a certain Steve Waugh still there at the crease seeing through Day 4. The Aussies were 100 odd ahead with 7 down and everyone knew that if Waugh was castled early on Day 5, the game was there to be taken for India.
A bunch of us from Class X A - PS Senior Sec School had cut school the previous day and gone to witness the penultimate day's action and with the way match was placed and history beckoning, all of us again wanted to bunk and watch the final days play too. But then we got calls from fellow classmates on the 4th day evening saying the situation was grim in school and they were collecting fines and another day of absence will result in parents being called and given a severe warning. It was a big decision to take whether to go to Chepauk and watch history being created or go to school like typical chamathu (nice) P.S pasanga (boys) and avoid unnecessary consequences.
We came to school on the 5th day morning but our minds were still not in place and constantly deviating. It was '0' period and the teacher had still not come, we suddenly gathered courage and decided 'Let hell break loose' we will end up going for the match. And then we made our way till the P.S back gate to leave when it suddenly dawned upon us as to what will happen if someone complained that we all came to class and left for the match. There were always some Naradars :O (complaining types). I even now vividly remember the discussion we had in Gate 2 (Back Gate) and after speaking for couple of minutes we all disappointingly but unanimously decided to get back to class. In fact even after getting back to class, the teacher had still not come evincing semblances of hope once again to go back but it was a touch too late.
And then History happened...
Waugh was dismissed early on Day 5 and India quickly wrapped up the tail requiring just 155 to win. Then there was a mini stutter as you always expect with India as they started losing quick wickets. Laxman however was again standing between the Aussies ticking along and taking India to safety. As I was about to leave school for the day, I heard in the transistor (no cell phones back then) that Laxman was caught brilliantly by Mark Waugh with India still needing 20 to win. And then just as I reached home, I entered with the news that Sameer Dighe and the series superstar Harbhajan Singh had taken India to victory and I was just in time to witness the presentation ceremony.
Chepauk was buzzing with excitement and there were scenes of euphoria all round. The atmosphere was simply electric and was clearly evident even viewing it from an old 21 inch Philips Television set. India had staged a remarkable comeback which all started on Day 4 of the Eden Gardens test which culminated and reached the pinnacle on Day 5 at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium. India had won perhaps the greatest test series ever played in its cricketing history. In cricketing parlance, it felt like the equivalence of conquering Mount Everest.
Looking back now, there is still a tinge of disappointment and resentment on not being able to witness all the proceedings live. In hindsight wondering how amazing it would have been had we got the courage on that eventful day to go ahead with our plan and be part of the Chepauk crowd who got to witness history. All the more so after also hearing stories of only the second instance of a tied test between the very same teams 15 years prior in 1986 on this very same hallowed turf. It would have made the memories fonder and also contributed to a much better and more daring story. Anyways it is what it is and ultimately the result was in the affirmative.
In the end, a small chickening act put paid hopes of creating our own slice of cricketing history. Just only wish there is a time machine to go back in history and re-write the past :). It was however a wonderful experience to go on a time trail and relive this memorable experience that took place on the 22nd of March in the year 2001.
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