India, Sept. 13 -- Some matches become immortal almost immediately. Australia's 434 and South Africa's 438 at Johannesburg in 2006 remains one of ODI cricket's defining games, recalled every time a team threatens an enormous chase. Three years later, however, India and Sri Lanka produced something nearly as outrageous in Rajkot, only for it to gradually disappear from the wider conversation.

India scored 414 for seven. Sri Lanka replied with 411 for eight, leaving just three runs between the teams after 100 overs and 825 runs. Virender Sehwag smashed 146, Tillakaratne Dilshan answered with 160, Kumar Sangakkara blasted 90 from only 43 balls, and a target of 415 remained alive until the final delivery.

More than 16 years later, the 825 r...