Kolkata: Former Indian batting great V. V. S. Laxman's epic knock of 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens here in 2001 has been rated as the greatest Test performance of the last 50 years.
The honour was bestowed upon the Hyderabadi by his fellow players, commentators and journalists in a poll published in the January issue of ESPN's digital magazine, the Cricket Monthly.
In the astonishing Test match, where he was at his sublime best, Laxman scored 59 and 281. India trailed by 274 runs in the Test in the first innings and the series 0-1 against a team which was on a record 16-Test winning streak and widely acknowledged as one of the best sides to have ever played the game.
India went on to win the match and the series.
Australian legend Shane Warne recalled the masterly knock from Laxman. "I was bowling in the foot marks and Laxman was hitting the same ball through cover or whipping it through midwicket. It was so hard to bowl then."
Laxman's epic 281
Australia's World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting remembered that "his work through the leg side in particular was a source of wonderment to many of us. Ultimately we bowled for near enough to two days at him without even looking like getting him out."
Interestingly Test cricket's all-time highest run-getter Sachin Tendulkar failed to make it to the top-50 performances' list.
(With inputs from Agencies)