Harbhajan Singh took India's first Test hat-trick in 67 years — dismissing Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne in the first innings — sparking India's comeback from following on that ultimately won the Test and the series.
Australia were 174/4 in their first innings, building a massive total. Harbhajan was bowling his off-spin. He had already taken Hayden. Then came the over that changed Indian cricket.
Ball 1 to Ponting: the ball turned sharply, Ponting played forward, outside edge to slip — caught by Deep Dasgupta. Ball 2 to Gilchrist: full, straight, pitched outside off — Gilchrist lunged forward, inside edge, ball clattered into the stumps. Ball 3 to Warne: quicker delivery, Warne played defensively, ball went through the gate, stumps rattled.
Hat-trick. India's first Test hat-trick since Vinoo Mankad in 1934. Ponting, Gilchrist, Warne — three of Australia's most dangerous lower-to-middle-order batsmen, all dismissed by an off-spinner who was 20 years old.
Australia's innings closed for 445. India followed on. What happened next is Laxman's story — but it started here, with Harbhajan's three balls.
Ponting caught at slip — the hat-trick begins
Gilchrist bowled — two in two
Warne bowled through the gate — hat-trick, Eden Gardens erupts
March 11, 2001
Eden Gardens, Australia batting first
Australia 174/4
Harbhajan bowls — Ponting, Gilchrist, Warne in successive balls
Hat-trick
India's first Test hat-trick in 67 years
Harbhajan took 32 wickets in the three-Test series — the most by an Indian bowler in a home series. He became India's leading Test spinner for the next decade.
A hat-trick is cricket's rarest bowling achievement. Harbhajan's took three of the most recognised names in the opposition batting order — and came at exactly the moment India needed belief in a match they were losing by 274 runs.
Harbhajan's hat-trick and his 32-wicket series performance are the bowling equivalent of Laxman's 281 — two individual achievements on the same ground, in the same match, that together represent India's greatest Test performance.
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