A very, very special century

	Let the games begin: With his 167 in Sydney in 2000, Laxman began his magic in Tests against Australia © Getty Images Enlarge

February-March, 1994
An early taste for Australia
In his first outing with the India Under-19s, he averages 110.25 in three Tests against the visiting Australian U-19 team, which includes Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds

November 22, 1996
A promising beginning
On his Test debut, against South Africa in Ahmedabad, he makes a composed 51 in the second innings - one of only two half-centuries in the match - to set up India's victory in a low-scoring game

March 6, 1997
Top order, but not top form
India's impregnable middle-order means Laxman has to play as an opener to remain in the side. On his first assignment in the West Indies, he has a torrid time and is dropped by the end of the series

Ranji Trophy 1999-2000
A domestic giant
Still being shunted in and out of the Indian side, he makes his case with a staggering 1415 runs in the Ranji Trophy, the most ever in a single season

January 4, 2000
Let me entertain you
The knock that proves his international credentials. At the end of a wretched Test series for him and India, he strokes a majestic 167 off 198 balls against Australia in Sydney, his first Test century

March 13-15, 2001
Very, very special
The defining innings. Steve Waugh's Australians were relentlessly marching towards conquering the "Final Frontier" with a 274-run first innings lead in the second Test in Kolkata. His epic 281 leads an astonishing recovery and India sneak to victory by 171 runs

November 2-3, 2002
Kolkata love affair continues
With nearly five sessions to play, India are four wickets down in the second innings and still trailing by 53 runs against West Indies in Kokata. He puts on a combative 214 with Sachin Tendulkar to take India to safety

December 2003-January 2004
Another dose of trouble for Australia
Spoils Steve Waugh's farewell Test series. A backs-to-the-wall 303-run stand with Rahul Dravid sets up the famous victory in Adelaide before a dazzling 178 in Sydney and a triple-century partnership with Sachin Tendulkar gives India a chance to seal the series

November 5, 2004
Negotiating a Mumbai minefield
On an astonishing day when twenty wickets fell, on a dustbowl that Ricky Ponting called "nowhere near to being Test standard", he scripts a doughty 69 that paved the way for a consolation victory in Mumbai

January 3, 2008
I love Sydney
India's batting, which had struggled in the first Test, finally gets going in the controversial second Test in Sydney with a silken century from Laxman, who along with Sachin Tendulkar puts India back in the contest

October 29-30, 2008
Delhi demolition
He torments Australia again with his second double-century in Tests, which helps India amass 613 in Delhi and guides them closer to reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy