Sourav Ganguly made a massive statement of intent as he led from the front to smash 144 and tame Australia in their own fortress of the Gabba.
India had arrived in Australia for the 2003/04 still being the ‘Tigers at Home and Lambs Abroad’ tag. In 2002, they had done a fair bit to dispel the notion that they were strong only at home after drawing a series in England. When they came to Australia, the situation was different. Australia were the world champions and India had not won a Test against them since 1981 and an ODI in their den since 1991. The odds were highly against the Indian cricket team. To top it all, the first Test was in Australia’s fortress of Brisbane where they had not lost a Test match for the last 15 years.
Steve Waugh was baying for revenge after his run of 16 consecutive wins was stopped in a historic series in India in 2001 and it was the exploits of VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh that helped India win the series 2-1 after being 0-1 down. Australia started off brilliantly with Justin Langer scoring a century after being caught off a no-ball by Aakash Chopra off Ashish Nehra.
Langer managed a century but Zaheer Khan stole the show with 5/75 as Australia were bowled out for 323. In response, India were tottering at 62/3, with Jason Gillespie getting the big wickets of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar in a controversial manner thanks to an error by umpire Steve Bucknor.
Ganguly to the fore
Sourav Ganguly arrived with plenty at stake for India. On his previous tour to Australia in 1991/92, Ganguly did not get his career off to a great start and he did not make it back to the Indian cricket team for five years. Here, Ganguly was the captain and he knew he had to make a statement if India were not to be thrashed by Australia.
Unfurling magnificent drives and cut shots against an Australian attack that had no Glenn McGrath or Shane Warne but nevertheless potent, Ganguly blazed away to glory at the Gabba. Ganguly found great support in VVS Laxman and their 146-run stand helped India near Australia’s total. Laxman fell for 75 but Sourav Ganguly continued and when he flicked Stuart MacGill for a boundary, he reached his century and the celebrations were magnificent. He finally fell for 144 as India took an 86-run lead.
Sourav Ganguly had looked Australia in the eye and just like 2001, he decided to dictate the series on his own terms. Rain spoiled what would have been an intriguing game but India had made a statement. In the next Test in Adelaide, India broke 22 years of pain as they won the Test by four wickets thanks to Rahul Dravid’s 233 and 72*. Although they lost the Melbourne Test from a winning position, India had Australia on the ropes in Sydney thanks to Sachin Tendulkar’s brilliant 241 and Anil Kumble’s 12 wickets. Australia held on for a draw and the series was level 1-1. It was the finest moment for the team at that time and the foundation of India’s fearless cricket was laid down in Brisbane when Ganguly hit a century.
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 "Sourav Ganguly 144")
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