Oct. 5: Two years ago at Sydney, a three-wicket burst by Michael Clarke in the dying minutes of the match had turned what looked like a draw for India into Australia’s 16th consecutive Test win. On Tuesday, it was India’s turn to alter destiny. In what will go down as one of the greatest comebacks the game has seen, Australia’s chief tormenter V.V.S. Laxman (73, 79b; 8x4) fought off severe back pain and heavy odds to steal a one-wicket thriller for India on Day Five of the first Test here on Tuesday.

Using a runner due to back spasms, Laxman was still too good for the Australian bowlers, adding 81 with the stubborn Ishant Sharma (31, 92b; 5x4) and 12 with last-man Pragyan Ojha (5) after India had plummeted to 124/8 on Tuesday chasing 216 to win. It was a game Australia couldn’t fathom losing after removing the top-four late on Monday, and then seeing off Sachin Tendulkar (38, 64b; 5x4), skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2) and Harbhajan Singh (2) in the space of four overs before lunch on the day. But Ishant Sharma, who’s himself struggling with a knee injury, kept gobling up the balls even as Laxman inched India closer to the target.

In the final moments, Ishant was adjudged lbw even though the ball from Ben Hilfenhaus (4/57) appeared to miss leg stump. The loss of Ishant was, however, cancelled out by the reprieve given to Ojha who was dead in front of the stumps off a Johnson delivery, but was given not out.

With six runs remaining, Australia could have run him out. But a throw from substitute fielder Steven Smith from point missed the stumps by inches, and crucially went to the fence. When the final two leg-byes came, the Indian dressing room erupted and then poured onto the field to congratulate the person who had made it all possible.

Laxman was characteristically wristy in his knock as he carved the balls through a maze of fielders on the on-side specially placed for him. Even the pull shots that usually involves a swivel of toes was modified — he chose to flick the chest-high balls instead of hammering them. After Hauritz removed Zaheer with a straighter one, he combined with Tendulkar in a 43-run partnership for the sixth wicket that brought the target closer. After Tendulkar fell though, a mini collapse ensued. It took another player bothered by an injury himself, to stem the rot and lead the side to win.

SCOREBOARD
Australia 1st innings 428

India 1st innings: 405

australia 2nd innings
192
india 2nd innings
Gautam Gambhir lbw b Hilfenhaus 0, Virender Sehwag c Hussey b Hilfenhaus 17, Rahul Dravid c Paine b Bollinger 13, Sachin Tendulkar c Hussey b Bollinger 38, Suresh Raina c North b Hilfenhaus 0, Zaheer Khan c Clarke b Hauritz 10, V.V.S. Laxman n.o.73, M.S. Dhoni run out 2, Harbhajan Singh c Ponting b Bollinger 2, Ishant Sharma lbw b Hilfenhaus 31, Pragyan Ojha n.o. 5
Extras (b10, lb8, nb1, w6) 25
Total (in 58.4 overs) 216/9
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-31, 3-48, 4-48, 5-76, 6-119, 7-122, 8-124, 9-205.
Bowling: Ben Hilfenhaus 19-3-57-4 (nb1, w5), Doug Bollinger 8-0-32-3 (w1), Mitchell Johnson 16.4-2-50-0, Nathan Hauritz 9-1-45-1, Marcus North 4-0-8-0, Shane Watson 2-0-6-0.