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Mumbai
27 February - 1 March 2001
Australia won the toss and asked India to bat first. The decision paid off immediately as Ramesh (2) was caught in the fifth over when the total was 7 runs. A short while later, India had lost Dravid (9), Das (14) and Ganguly (8) to crash to 4 for 55. Tendulkar and Laxman made it though to lunch at 4 for 62 with Australia seemingly taking up where they left off in Sydney just over a year ago. The Indian batsmen fought back through the first hour after lunch until Laxman (20), Tendulkar (76) and Agarkar (0) were all caught and then India went to tea at 7 for 153. Australia wrapped up the innings half way through the evening session for a total of 179 runs. Warne was the most successful bowler with 4 for 47 off 22 overs. Australia was left a little under an hour to bat and lost Slater (10) to be 1 for 21 before they reached 1 for 49 at stumps.
India fought their way back into the Test on the second morning. Australia lost Langer (19) in the first hour before India sent Mark Waugh (0), Stephen Waugh (15) and Ponting (0) back to the pavilion to have Australia 5 for 99. Hayden and Gilchrist then steadied the innings to take the tourists to lunch at 5 for 170. After lunch, the Australians took complete control of this Test putting on a total of 197 for the sixth wicket at better than a run per ball before Hayden (119) was caught. Gilchrist (122) was stumped 30 runs later and shortly before tea Gillespie (0) was out first ball. Australia then went to tea at 8 for 329 with a 152 run lead. India took the final two wickets shortly after the tea break to dismiss Australia for 349 and a 170 run lead. Singh was the best of the bowlers with 4 for 121 off 28 overs. India batted out the remaining 30 overs of the day and lost both Das (7) and Ramesh (44). Nightwatchman Mongia later retired hurt with a suspected broken thumb before India finished the day at 2 for 58 still needing another 115 runs to make Australia bat again.
India resumed on the third morning as Tendulkar and Dravid batted patiently through the first session without losing a wicket while adding 58 runs to move the total to 2 for 116 at lunch. However, India suffered a collapse once Tendulkar (65) was dismissed. Australia struck four more times in the afternoon session dismissing Ganguly (1), Laxman (12), Dravid (39) and Agarkar for his seventh consecutive duck against Australia. At tea, India were 7 for 206 with a lead of 33 runs. Australia ran through the remaining batsmen within half an hour of play resuming as India was dismissed for 219 runs setting Australia a final innings target of 47 runs to win. Gillespie (3 for 45 off 19 overs) and Mark Waugh (3 for 40 off 15 overs) shared the bowling honours. The Australian openers secured victory for the tourists with Slater reaching 19 and Hayden on 28 runs.
Second Test
Kolkata
11 - 15 March 2001
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Both openers were given chances in the morning session but they survived to be 88 without loss at lunch. Australia lost Slater just after lunch before going on to completely dominate the afternoon session, adding 105 runs to be 1 for 193 at tea. India dismissed Hayden (97) shortly after tea and then went on to dominate the extended evening session. India took 7 for 76 including their first ever hat trick in Test cricket by Harbhajan Singh. At stumps, Australia had lost their advantage and was 8 for 291, however, in their favour Stephen Waugh remains not out on 29.
On the second morning India failed to capitalise on their good work the night before. Australia batted through the entire session without losing a wicket and moved the score to 8 for 383 at the lunch break. India finally dismissed Gillespie (48) after the ninth wicket cost them 133 runs. Stephen Waugh (110) was the last man out when Australia was dismissed for 445 at drinks in the afternoon session. Singh was the most successful bowler with 7 for 123 off 38 overs. India lost Ramesh (0) in their second over and at tea was 1 for 32. The second afternoon mirrored the day before as India crumbled after Tendulkar (10) was dismissed at 3 for 48. Dravid (25), Ganguly (23) and Laxman (26*) were the only batsmen to offer resistance and at stumps India was 8 for 128 needing another 118 more runs to avoid the follow on.
India lost Raju (4) in the second over of play on the third morning to be 9 for 129. Laxman (59) and Prasad (7*) put on 42 runs for the final wicket as India was dismissed for 171 runs, 75 runs short of the follow on target. McGrath was the most successful bowler with 4 for 18 off 14 overs. Australia enforced the follow on and the Indian openers batted through without loss to be 0 for 45 at lunch. Australia claimed three wickets in the afternoon session. Ramesh (20) returned to the pavilion shortly after lunch and then Das (39) later trod on his stumps to be out hit wicket. Tendulkar (10) equalled his first innings score before Laxman and Ganguly batted through to tea at 3 for 122. India only lost Ganguly (48) in the evening session as Laxman (109*) passed his second century against Australia and Dravid remained not out on 7 to be 4 for 254 still needing another 20 runs to force Australia to bat again.
India resumed on the fourth morning and quickly wiped away the remaining 20 run deficit. By lunch they had batted through the first session without loss to be 4 for 376. The Indians repeated the performance in the afternoon session and took control of this Test by doing to Australia what Australia had done to many other nations over the last two years. By the end of the day, VVS Laxman (275*)had achieved the highest Test score by any Indian in history while he and Dravid (155*) had set new partnership records. At stumps, a ragged Australian side left the field 315 runs behind and with little prospect of achieving Test victory number 17.
India batted on for 13 overs on the final morning during which time they lost Laxman (281) after a record breaking 376 run partnership with Dravid (180). India later declared at 7 for 657. McGrath was the most successful of the 9 bowlers used with 3 for 103 off 39 overs. This left Australia an unlikely victory target of 384 runs from 75 overs at 4.1 runs per over. Australia batted through to lunch to be 0 for NUMBER. After lunch it became clear the Australians were having a go for the victory number 17 as the scoring picked up. They moved the total to 74 before losing Slater (43). After Langer (28) and Mark Waugh (0) were dismissed the Australian approach changed to survival for a draw and at tea Australia was 3 for 161. India then broke through taking the next five wickets before the total moved past 174 and firmly taking control. The Australian tail hung in until the 7th last over when they were all out for 212 giving India victory by 171 runs and ending Australia's 16 Test winning streak.
Third Test
Chennai
18 - 22 March 2001
Australia won the toss for the third time and elected to bat first. India struck twice before lunch removing Slater (4) and Langer (35). By lunch, Australia had earned the first session honours with 2 for 140 at the break. India claimed the wicket of Mark Waugh (70) in the afternoon session before Australia went to tea at 3 for 248. India failed to break through in the final session as Australia ended the day in complete control at 3 for 326.
India struck back on the second morning, dismissing the last 7 Australians for only 65 more runs. Hayden (203) was the last man out as Australia collapsed for 391 runs at lunch. Singh was again the best of the bowlers with 7 for 133 off 38.2 overs. India batted through until tea without loss while adding 107 runs. Australia only dismissed Ramesh (61) before stumps as India confidently moved passed the follow on target to be 1 for 211 at stumps.
Australia struck back on the third morning dismissing Das (84) and Laxman (65) and drying up the runs as India went to lunch at 3 for 365 having added only 55 runs in the session. India then reasserted their dominance, losing only Ganguly (22) as they batted through to be 4 for 378 at tea. Shortly after tea India passed the Australian first innings total and Tendulkar received a life on 82. Later in the session, Australia finally broke through and found the wickets easier to take. They dismissed Dravid (81), Tendulkar (126), Dighe (4), Khan (4) and Singh (2) as India ended the day at 9 for 480 with a first innings lead of 89 runs.
India added another 21 runs on the fourth morning before the wicket of Kulkarni (4) signalled the end of the innings for 501. McGrath (3 for 75 off 36 overs) and Miller (3 for 160 off 46 overs) shared the bowling honours. Australia set about erasing the 110 run deficit and was 69 runs without loss at lunch. India broke the back of the Australian batting during the afternoon session as Australia crashed to 4 for 141 before the Waugh twins took them to tea at 4 for 159. In the evening session India removed Mark Waugh (57), Ponting (11) and then on the last ball of the day Warne (11) as Australia ended the day precariously at 7 for 241 with a lead of 131 runs.
Australia resumed on the final morning needing to bat to a point where India needed around 4 runs per over to win. India had other ideas and after dismissing Stephen Waugh (47) they ran through the tail to dismiss Australia for 264 runs. Sing was again the best of the bowlers with 8 for 84 off 41.5 overs. This left India a final innings target of 155 runs with over two sessions remaining. Australia fought back hard to get back into contention. They dismissed Das (9) and Ramesh (25) to have India at 2 for 76. Australian pressure let to an Indian collapse as Tendulkar (17), Ganguly (4) and Dravid (4) were dismissed and India went to tea ta 5 for 132. Australia sent Laxman (66) and Bahutule (0) back to the pavilion straight after play resumed as India moved to 7 for 135. India lost Khan (0) and 8 for 151 before Singh hit the winning runs for a two wicket victory.
