The Kolkata Take a look at was my first posting in 5 years. It was additionally my closing yr as an umpire, and I used to be grateful that the Board had considered rewarding my work with a farewell sport at Eden Gardens, a rare floor.
It produced a contest between Australia, essentially the most enticing staff on this planet, and India, an rising pressure with a number of the world’s most superb expertise. Australia had received 16 Checks in a row, and that incredible run was halted by India in what’s rightly termed an epic. So far as I’m involved, it was the best cricket match I had ever watched, and to have stood in it as an umpire was God’s reward to me.
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After India was requested to follow-on and confronted sure defeat on the finish of the third day, virtually everybody had accepted that India had already misplaced. When would the match finish? No one knew, however everybody was saying, “We’ve misplaced.” However what can I let you know? Oh my God! How did these two, V.V.S Laxman and Rahul Dravid, play? They did one thing unbelievable in opposition to that highly effective Australia, a mix that made each different staff on this planet tremble. Consider me, even a World XI staff would lose in opposition to Australia.
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Laxman and Dravid entertained the cricket world with their beautiful batting, scoring 335 runs on the fourth day with out being separated. What batting from Laxman! He performed cowl drives off balls pitched on the leg stump, and stepped out repeatedly to on-drive a bowler like Shane Warne. It was a sight for the Gods when he would rock again and cover-drive the likes of Glenn McGrath. There was hardly any effort in Laxman slamming the Australian bowlers.
Dravid was an image of resilience, supporting Laxman and defying the Australian assault like solely he may. I can’t recall any discomfort in Dravid’s batting as he took cost and indulged in a mesmerising jugalbandi with Laxman. These two Indian batsmen fully neutralised all the pieces. They batted in such a means that the bowlers couldn’t perceive the place to bowl, the place to discipline, or what to do. A bowler like McGrath, who was unmatched and bowled with pinpoint accuracy, did not make a dent on the fourth day. It was a uncommon sight when Australia began bowling a destructive line. At one level, I politely cautioned Jason Gillespie in opposition to pursuing it.
To let you know the reality, my life was on the road. I needed to stand there with my eyes large open, greater than double, 4 instances wider, for each ball. I didn’t need any choice to be flawed. The gamers had been additionally blissful, and afterwards, all our selections had been reviewed 4 instances by the third umpire and the Match Referee. The whole lot was checked, each groups had been glad, and solely then did I hand over the scorecard. And what a match!
In actual fact, McGrath struck Dravid’s pads twice in succession. There was such a robust enchantment for each of them. There have been 1,00,000 inside the bottom and 1,00,000 outdoors. The applause from outdoors was louder than the applause inside. I gave each of them not out. They reviewed these two selections 4 to 6 instances, even after the match. When the match referee (Cameron Smith) got here to me after lunch and stated, “Stunning choice, I’m very blissful,” with a slight smile, I had received my best appreciation.
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I at all times believed, “If there’s any doubt within the umpire’s thoughts, then a uncertain choice at all times goes in favour of the batsman. It’s not like if it’s this batsman, it should go in his favour, and if it’s one other batsman, then it received’t. And when there was little question in my thoughts, how may I give him out? When unsure, at all times give NOT OUT.”
Harbhajan Singh performed a giant function within the staff’s win. He was merely unbelievable. Initially, in his first 4 to 5 overs, 27 to twenty-eight runs had been scored. He was sweating profusely. However he modified the sport with that hat-trick.
The following day, once I got here to the airport, I introduced one of many stumps as a memento. It was a prized possession. However it wouldn’t match into the check-in bag. They don’t permit cricket stumps, bats, or hockey sticks as cabin baggage. Surprisingly, I used to be allowed to hold it with me. I do know it was in opposition to the foundations, however the temper in every single place was euphoric. I acquired an ovation contained in the plane when it was introduced that I used to be one of many umpires for the Kolkata Take a look at. The stump sits proudly in my drawing room.
The sweetest second of the match for me was watching Laxman on the again foot, eyes centered, and taking part in some divine cowl drives in opposition to top-class bowling. I haven’t seen such good bowling. The balls had been simply an inch away from the wicket, however let me let you know, these two batsmen performed flawless cricket.
(As instructed to Vijay Lokapally)
Printed on Mar 15, 2026