Yes you guessed it right if you guessed Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman. As he turns in another match winning knock, it is perhaps time to take notice of an immensely talented vastly under-rated self-effacing cricketer.
Following the Mohali Test match today was like going through a whole gamut of emotions for me. Even after 18 years of watching cricket, I still feel like the schoolboy who somehow miraculously wants his team to win and who will never give up hope until the match is over. May be we shall never grow out of that. It is sometimes a nice little indulgence in life, amidst the entanglements of adult everyday living and its insistent demands and responsibilities, to be able to get into the mould of a schoolboy praying for his team. It makes you smile to yourself that things were simpler weren’t they - it was another time, another world.
I was also transported back to those schoolboy days at the beginning of the 5th day of this Mohali Test. India tottering at 55 for 4 and as usual, a certain gentleman by the name of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar still at the crease carrying the hopes of a billion hearts. And I thought to myself- boy, nothing has changed in life, has it- still I wake up dreaming of Sachin taking India to a seemingly improbable win, if only the other batsmen can hold out a little bit. And Sachin played like a man on a mission. The signature straight drive, the magnificent backfoot cover drive, the wristy square cut, the silken leg glance, the quick flick, wow, Sachin looked in a hurry. And then the heartbreak. He tried to upper cut a delivery on off-stump and ended up scooping it to Michael Hussey. And one part of me thought, okay here goes India’s chances and another part thought maybe Laxman and Dhoni can do something. And when Dhoni went, I thought okay Harbhajan can bat a bit. And when he went second ball, I gave up saying only Laxman can save us otherwise India loses- that is a die-hard fan for you.
I had no doubt that VVS Laxman would come to bat today, irrespective of what the doubts were about his fitness. Well that was the man for you- he will do his job. And when he did come out to bat, my mind went back to 2002 when Anil Kumble bowled 14 consecutive overs with a broken bandaged jaw and even got Brian Lara out lbw. Laxman was a very similar cricketer – always wanting to give his best to the team, always rising to an occasion, always doing his job quietly without a trumpet, never given his due as a batsman but never wanting media attention, happy to be respected and loved in the dressing room.
And what a class innings he played. 73 off 79 balls on a slow and low fifth day track with the last 2 batsman to hold fort and his back giving trouble – it would rank among one of his best knocks for me. And I can imagine only four other players in international cricket that I have seen who are capable of playing a knock at that rate given the circumstances – Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist, each in their own style. And this was a very very special one from Laxman.
I have always believed that if strokemaking is an art, Laxman is the foremost artist in the world – a true purist’s delight. Even when he plays those shots with a bad stiff back like today, they are silken. Those caressing cover drives, the smooth square cuts, the poignant pulls, those sizzling straight drives and most of all the wonderful wristy flicks to balls that are pitched on or outside off stump, oh they are intoxicating. I remember Harsha Bhogle once saying ”When you listen to the other batsmen, their bats will make a tuck sound when hitting but if you listen to VVS Laxman, his bat makes a chick sound even when the ball speeds off his bat.” That goes to show the artistry of his batting.
The Hyderabadi flavour is unmistakeable in Laxman’s batting. I have never watched ML Jaisimha bat but I watched Mohammad Azharuddin bat for eight years. I especially remember a Test Match against South Africa in Kolkata in 1996 when Azhar’s forearm was broken by a Lance Klusener delivery and he retired hurt just before lunchtime. Immediately after lunch, he came out to bat with an arm guard and Klusener bowled the first over after lunch. Azhar hit him for five boundaries on the leg side, everything flicked. I was amazed at those crunchy supple wrists. But nothing of that could ever match the silken elegance of Laxman.
And it is not merely the art of his batting. He makes crucial contributions at crucial times. And I think there will be no arguments there. For a man who took four years after his test debut to hit his maiden century, Laxman has made priceless contributions to Indian wins. Stats say India has lost only twice when Laxman has hit a hundred. That makes it 14 out of 16 times India has either won or drawn. And some of those have been magical batting.
Any sportsman’s ultimate achievement is to be respected and praised by the adversary. The Aussies can be said to be the fiercest adversaries in the game. And by now, they not only respect and praise Laxman but probably fear him as well. The ability to raise your game against the best in the business at the most testing of circumstances is a mark of sheer greatness. It is not easy. It requires great confidence in your own abilities and perseverance and determination to stand up against such tough challenges. VVS Laxman has shown it time and time again.
And yet he has never been given his due. Yes I understand it is a little difficult to overshadow a man as good as Sachin Tendulkar but nevertheless, Laxman’s contribution to Indian cricket has been no less in value. Critics have always taken a liking to Laxman for his slack fielding and running between wickets. Yes I agree he is not as agile in the field but that still doesn’t take the sheen off his batting. And for that matter there have been about one handful of good Indian fielders that I can remember watching- Azharuddinn, Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Suresh Raina. The others have been mediocre.
Having said that, Laxman’s catching in the slips has been extraordinary at times. Even Ian Chappel once compared Laxman’s slip catching to Mark Waugh’s catching. Even in this match, Laxman’s catch of Tim Paine in the first innings was a very crucial one.
Another unfair treatment has been in the One Dayer arena. Laxman is yet to play a World Cup - Would you believe it? And just for stats sake, Laxman scored 3 hundreds in 4 matches in one week at Australia in 2003, two of them against Australia. 4 out of his 6 ODI Hundreds have come against the Aussies. Well it certainly defies the logic of form and performance as the criteria for selection that Laxman’s place in the One Day side was never certain and he has never been picked after 2006.
And yet not once has he complained. We have never seen him sledge or abuse. We have seen him reprimanded by an umpire or match referee. We have never seen him in a brawl. Here is a man who respects the game and tries his level best to do his job for the team.
Well he may not have the aura of a Sachin Tendulkar or the fashionability of a Mahendra Singh Dhoni or a Yuvraj Singh. But VVS Laxman has been for me a remarkable great of Indian cricket.
And as is usual, I will end with my top 5 favorites of Laxman’s Test match innings:
- 281 vs Australia, Kolkata 2001: Of course what else could it be? The innings that changed Indian cricket forever – an innings that showed what guts and grits could do, an innings that infused self-belief in Indian cricketing mindset; a once in a lifetime knock that would paralyze the marauding Aussies. Shane Warne, arguably the greatest spinner of our times was perplexed and made to look like a gully bowler with Laxman’s legside play. Enough has been said about it but enough can never be enough for that knock. Every cricketer’s dream knock, possibly the greatest knock by an Indian cricketer.
- 167 vs Australia, Sydney 2000: An innings that announced the arrival of a Very Very Special Player. Brett Lee, in his debut test match was smashed around the park. Laxman sparkled in a losing cause.
- 148 vs Australia, Adelaide 2003: Remembered more for Rahul Dravid’s double century, Laxman made a vital hundred that helped India cut down Australia’s lead and then Ajit Agarkar’s dream spell and Dravid’s toughness brought India’s win after a long time in Australia.
- 103* vs Sri Lanka, Colombo 2010: Another superbly paced knock, India was chasing 250 plus on a 5th day turner against Mendis, Malinga and Herath. Tendulkar played beautifully while he lasted. And it was left to VVS Laxman to steer India home with an attacking innings. His flicks were delectable.
- 73* vs Australia, Mohali 2010: A brave knock with a sore back, Laxman batted beautifully with the help of Ishant to snatch victory from defeat.
There can be no comparisons of Laxman with Ganguly, Dravid or Sachin for each of them have contributed immensely to Indian cricket. Even if he is not the hailed as India’s greatest Test batsman (the Aussies will probably vouch for it and Laxman would probably hardly be bothered), VVS Laxman will always be a Very Very Special Player for those who still love aesthetics. Kudos VVS ! Bravo !
