The name VVS Laxman immediately conjures up images of the powerful pull shots of the calibre of Brett Lee. The silken cover drives both of the front foot and of the backfoot. The inside out shots and that too out of the rough against bowlers of the quality of a certain Shane Warne. Such a batsman who can play both pace and spin with nonchalant ease and who on his day, can be a nightmare for the opposition, must have had a long and successful career and must have finished his career with an average in excess of 50. However, Laxman, despite his incredible talent, wasn’t able to reach such heights. Yes, he did have a long career but was he as successful as his talent suggested he would be? The answer, sadly, seems to be in the negative. This is about the unfulfilled talent of VVS Laxman.
Laxman was a player of such ability that he always had lot of time to play a shot. He can send the slightly over pitched delivery towards the cover boundary but he can also shuffle his wrists and send the ball scurrying across the ground to the midwicket boundary. Some of the shots he played in his career will have to be seen to be believed.
The early career of Laxman
Laxman when he played for Hyderabad, always came in at the fall of the first wicket. He made his debut for Hyderabad in 1992. He had a good season and followed it up with a better season in 1993. It was clear even at that stage that Laxman was someone who will play at the higher levels in the not distant future and it duly arrived in 1996 when Laxman was chosen to make his debut against South Africa. However, the start to his international career was along the expected lines.
Infact, for more than 15 tests, his career was uneventful. Eventually, he lost his place in the team. After being recalled, he was forced to open the innings because there wasn’t any space in the middle order with Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly & Azharuddin occupying all the positions. Laxman never used to open and to open at the highest level proved to be much too difficult to him to overcome. His one knock of 167 albeit in a lost cause in Sydney against the ferocious pace of Brett Lee ensured that he was able to continue for a few more games. It was his very first hundred in international cricket. It must have certainly enhanced his confidence and that one hundred did make him feel that he belonged to the highest level. Laxman was to remark later,
“It removed doubts and apprehensions I had about my game. I started to feel that I belong to international cricket and that I can go out and perform against the best bowlers,” added Laxman in a chat with popular cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle.
Laxman’s momentous decision
He played in one more series against South Africa as an opener and that was when he took the momentous decision of never to open the innings ever again. It was actually a very brave decision on the part of Laxman because for someone who had hardly played a few international games, someone who may not find a spot in the middle order and for someone who hasn’t performed as was expected, it was a very brave decision. It ultimately proved to be a success for Laxman and he was also lucky in the sense that Azharuddin was nearing the end of his career and a middle order slot opened. Laxman duly filled that spot. Whether he was a success at that spot, I will analyse further.
The breakthrough that Laxman was waiting for
If at all there is one innings that has influenced every captain thereafter of not enforcing the follow-on even when they are ahead by more than 300 runs, it was the special innings of 281 in 2001. The architect of that innings was none other than our very own Laxman. Enough has been written and spoken about that innings for a very long time. It will be considered a sacrilege if I don’t write a few words about that innings.
The Test
The Australian team had brought their best players for the series. For Steve Waugh, India was the last frontier. The Australians were at their absolute best before the start of the series and in the first test. Even the great Sachin Tendulkar was unable to stop the Australians. The first test was a crushing defeat and half of the 2nd test went along similar lines until Laxman played a beautiful cameo. This little innings gave Laxman the crucial spot of Number 3 that he has always coveted for in the 2nd innings.
That small cameo seemed to have induced the much needed confidence in Das & Ramesh who put on a near 100 runs opening partnership. Laxman who came in at 3, took over not only the innings but he absolutely led from the front from there on. The inside out shots of Warne, the majestic pulls of McGrath and other fast bowlers were an absolute treat. His footwork was exceptional. Shane Warne had proved how attacking bowling wide of leg stump can be but then, Laxman took several paces down the wicket to hit it in front of the wicket and for a similar delivery, he went back to play the ball towards midwicket. It was exceptional footwork.
Steve Waugh ran out of ideas and he even had to employ Slater & Ponting to bowl a few overs. Laxman not only ensured that India will not lose that test but he actually ensured that the other players gained tremendous confidence that India went onto win the series. Till date, the 2001 series remains one of the top 2 series over the last 25 years. Only the 2005 Ashes thriller was able to top that series.
Tributes from the players who played that test
Shane Warne:
“There are a few players who tried to play shots like that, but if they tried it twice or thrice I generally got them out. The key was how consistently well he did it – inside-out or through midwicket against the spin on a track that was turning big”
Jason Gillespie:
“I remember Shane standing there with his hands on his hips thinking, “There is not a lot I could do here. I have bowled the best ball I could bowl but he is hitting it where he wants to.” We had no answer to him.
If I am honest, I was pretty sick of the sight of Mr Laxman”
Venkatapathy Raju (The spinner):
“Kolkata was the first time I saw that Australian team set defensive fields.
Laxman suddenly got up and said: “We have a good chance to win the match.” I thought to myself: “He must be crazy!”
His innings was rated as the best innings of the 2000s by Wisden. After this one superlative innings, much was expected from Laxman. Again, Laxman wasn’t able to match upto the expectations or rather I should say that he wasn’t able to live upto his own high standards.
to be continued…..