VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman made 281 off 452 balls against Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in March 2001. India had been asked to follow on after being bowled out for 171 in reply to 445. He and Rahul Dravid, who made 180, added 376 for the fifth wicket. India declared at 657 for 7 and won by 171 runs, after losing the first Test.
Sources: Wikipedia: Australian cricket team in India in 2000-01 · Wisden: Test innings of the 2000s, No.1, VVS Laxman's 281
Was it a ton of consequence?
Yes: rescued the innings. India won by 171 runs after following on. Series going in: Australia 1-0 up. How a ToC is decided
Called one of the greats: Wisden 100 (2001): rated the No. 6 Test batting performance of all time (Wikipedia); Wisden’s Test innings of the 2000s, No.1: VVS Laxman’s 281 (Wisden)
Sources: Wikipedia: Australian cricket team in India in 2000–01 · wisden.com · Wikipedia: Australian cricket team in India in 2000–01
Medium confidence. We rely on match reports. We don't have the score when the batter came in, so the call rests on the result, the innings and the series.
WatchMatch highlights
This covers the whole Test, so it shows other play as well as this innings.
Video by The Cricket Legacy on YouTube. Watch it there.
How the score is builtscore · points
Your weighting
- Match Impact30%Did it decide the course of the game?
- Clutchness22%The weight of pressure in the moment
- Narrative18%The story surrounding the innings
- Conditions & Opposition14%What and who they were up against
- Historical Weight10%How time and experts have judged it
- Perceived Greatness6%The consensus of those who watched
How divisive is it?
Universally great, 4. Almost everyone agrees. This innings transcends the debate. Across five points of view it scores between 74.2 and 76.6.
More from VVS Laxman
Colombo (PSS) · 2010 · 548th overall67.0167 v Australia
Sydney · 2000 · 642nd overall66.1154* v West Indies
Eden Gardens · 2002 · 840th overall64.6200* v Australia
Delhi · 2008 · 1141st overall62.9124* v New Zealand
Napier · 2009 · 1557th overall61.1178 v Australia
Sydney · 2004 · 1576th overall61.0