The best of India in Australia, Part 8: Rahul Dravid’s 12-and-a-half-hour epic powers IND to historic win in Adelaide

Among the more iconic images from India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory celebration is Dravid, the head coach, screaming in delight in a rare show of emotion while lifting the trophy. It only added to the plethora of iconic Dravid images over the years in the former captain’s storied association with Indian cricket, among which is his whole-hearted celebration upon hitting the winning runs in Adelaide.

How Dravid helped India beat Australia in 2003

To say it was a victory against the odds is underplaying it. India were facing an Australian team who were missing a few key individuals, of which the most prominent was Glenn McGrath who had terrorised India in their previous tour in 1999/2000. Brett Lee, who had made his debut in that series, was also absent for the Adelaide Test. Spin great Shane Warne was also absent because of a 12-month drug ban, but he had largely suffered at the hands of the Indians on previous tours, instead of it being the other way around.

Yet, Australia were flying early in the Test, with Ricky Ponting’s 242 off 352 balls taking them to a score of 556 batting first, with Kumble recording figures of 5/154 in 43 overs. India then found themselves four wickets down for just 85 runs in 20.3 overs. VVS Laxman and Dravid had famously crushed Australia at the Eden Gardens during the previous series between the two sides. They did a sequel of that in Adelaide, putting up an epic partnership of 303 runs that ended with Laxman falling on 148 off 282 balls. Dravid carried on, though, and was eventually the last man to fall for India after scoring 233 runs in 446 balls. India were all out for 523 on Day 4.

Agarkar then recorded figures of 6/41, which would remain his career-best, as India bundled out a wounded Australia for 196 runs and started their second innings on the same day they ended their first. Their target was 230 and openers Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra knocked 37 runs off that by Stumps. Both of then were out in the first session of the fifth day but Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar saw India through to Lunch with their score reading 108/2. As many as four wickets fell in the second session but then Laxman dented the hosts’ chances in that with a quickfire 32 off 34 balls. Dravid stood through it all and finished it off with a four off Stuart MacGill. He followed up his first innings double century with an unbeaten 72 in the second.

Dravid batted a total of 12 and a half hours in this Test and it was India’s first win in Australia since 1981. It was also just the fourth time they had won a Test match in Australia. The first Test of the series was a draw which meant that India took a 1-0 lead in the series with the four-wicket win in Adelaide. The hosts won the Boxing Day Test after that by nine wickets after which the fourth Test was drawn as well, thus ending the series at 1-1. It was the first time that India drew a Test series in Australia since 1985.