VVS Laxman : The magician retires but the magic remains

When you are in trouble you might dial 911. Indian cricket team on occasions would have felt like dialing 911 and more often than not they were saved by a man who not only bailed the team out of many holes but also won them the games from absolutely nowhere. Ask Steve Waugh. The invincible Australian side would have entertained their thoughts of pocketing their 17^th test match on the trot but one man defied all that and brought about Renaissance in the Indian Cricket history. Vangipurappu Venkat Sai Laxman, scored an epic 281 runs in front of a boisterous Eden Gardens crowd and had scripted a fine test match win for India in the second test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2001-02.

An emotional Laxman addressed the media and dignitaries, at Hyderabad on Saturday. The retirement came in as a surprise to the Indian fans. Laxman scored his 8781 Test match runs at an average of 45.97 and 2338 ODI runs at an average of 30.76. Laxman resembled his childhood hero Mohammad Azharuddin in many ways. His drives, at the best of times, were a treat to watch. Walter Hammond and Zaheer Abbas are considered to be elegant cover drivers of a cricket ball. Laxman, when on song, was at par with Hammond and Abbas. He scored at will on many occasions and was a hard batsman to bowl to considering the wide array of shots that he possessed.

Greg Chappell was the commentator for ESPN-Star Cricket team when India toured Australia in 2003-04. In the second test match Laxman hit Australian Stuart MacGill from outside the leg stump towards extra-covers and a couple of overs later hit almost a similar ball towards mid-wicket. Chappell was terse in his description. He said “That is genius at work.”

The Starting Days at the International Level:

Laxman made his debut in 1996 against South Africa in Ahmedabad. Laxman was a middle-order batsman in the team. He scored a brilliant 51 in the second innings to give India a slender lead of 169 runs which proved to be good enough for India to register a win. Laxman was asked to bat as an opener in the 1997 West Indies series. Laxman scored 2 fifties in the series-64 at Kingston and 56 at St John’s, Antigua. In the next test match Laxman scored 95 against Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Laxman had a string of poor scores then. In the first test match of Asian Test Championship, Laxman scored 67 runs against Pakistan when India was chasing 279 runs for victory. India eventually lost the test match. Laxman was persisted as an opener even on India’s tour Down under. Laxman had a poor series and his place in the side was questioned. He silenced his critics with an attacking 167 at Sydney Cricket Ground in the second innings. That innings was a breath of fresh air considering India’s insipid batting performance overall in the test matches. Laxman, who was originally not a part of India’s subsequent ODI series, was drafted into the team. In 2000, Laxman opened the batting for India for the last time(Laxman opened against Pakistan in 2007 series but that was a stop-gap arrangement). Laxman lost his place in the side as an opener.

The Comeback:

Laxman went back to the domestic cricket and scored a lot of runs. At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Laxman smashed an unbeaten 346 runs against Karnataka, thus becoming the only Indian batsman to score two triple hundreds in Ranji Trophy (his first triple hundred was 301 against Bihar at Jamshedpur in 1996-97). That innings was not a flash in the pan. Laxman scored over 1200 runs in the first class cricket post-exclusion from the national team. Laxman was included in the Indian team immediately after his record breaking feats.

Laxman was included in the Indian side against Australia who had come to conquer the final frontier – a test series win on Indian soil. Laxman failed in the first test match at Mumbai scoring twin twenties. At Kolkata, Laxman scored 53 and 281 runs. India became only the third country to win a test match after following on. In the next test match at Chennai, Laxman scored 65 and 66 runs, which were crucial considering how India won by a narrow margin of two wickets.

Some of the challenges faced mid-way through the career

Laxman was also guilty of playing some poor shots especially at the start of his innings. In the 2001-02 season, Laxman was the most wonderful batsman in the world to score sparkling 30s and 40s. In the first test match at Bloemfontein in 2001, Laxman batted at 3. He played glorious shots and then in the 16^th over of the first morning played an expansive shot and was out for 32. In the second innings, Laxman threw away his wicket on 29. In the home series against Zimbabwe, Laxman scored 13 runs in the first innings at Nagpur. For a man who had toyed with Shane Warne’s bowling on turning tracks a year ago, a certain unknown left-arm spinner got Laxman in an embarrassing fashion. Laxman was dropped in the following test match at Delhi. Virender Sehwag was preferred over him. Laxman got back into the playing XI on the West Indies tour mainly because Sehwag had injured himself. Laxman scored runs in that series and everything was in a state of normalcy. In fact, when West Indies came to India in the winter of 2002, Laxman scored 154 unbeaten runs at Eden Gardens and helped India save the test match.

India visited New Zealand in December 2002. Laxman had a horrible series. In the first test match at Wellington, Laxman got a pair and his technical flaws were visible. The moving ball proved to be Laxman’s nemisis. Laxman was omitted from the World Cup squad in 2003 and that haunts Laxman even today.

The Tour Down Under (2003-04)

It was Laxman’s second tour of Australia. Laxman scored a blistering 75 in the first innings at Brisbane. The fact that Laxman counter-attacked in that innings makes it special. At Adelaide, Laxman scored 148 runs and stitched the 2^nd 300 plus alliance with Rahul Dravid, the first one being 376 run stand at Eden Gardens against the same opposition. Laxman then scored 178 in the 4^th and final test match at Sydney and finished the Test Match series on a high.

In the ODI leg of the competition, Laxman became the first batsman to score three centuries in a week. Laxman was criticized though for his running between the wickets but he made it up with his exquisite shots all round the wicket. Ian Chappell described Laxman as Very Very Special during the tour.

Laxman – not a run machine anymore? (2 years since 2004)

Laxman had a decent test series against Pakistan when India visited their neighbours for a full tour after 15 years. Laxman scored 195 runs in the series at 48.75. India won the series 2-1.

In the ODI series, Laxman scored a match winning 112 in the 5^th ODI. India won the series 3-2. Laxman though struggled in the ODI series against England.

In 2004-05, Australia visited India. Laxman had a poor series and struggled to score runs against his favourite opponents. Laxman scored 69 at Mumbai in a dead rubber and helped India to earn a consolation victory- by 13 runs.

Laxman had a moderate outing against Pakistan in the home series. Laxman scored a couple of fifties in five innings. In the next test series Laxman scored a hundred against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad (104). Laxman was dropped from the team following his golden duck against England at Nagpur.

Laxman’s batting style was considered one-paced for the ODI format. He was a slow runner and did not cover the ground as much as some of the youngsters who were preferred by India’s new coach Greg Chappell.

Laxman continued to play important innings for India in test matches. Laxman scored 100 and 63 at Basseterre against West Indies. Against South Africa,Laxman scored an important 73 in the second innings. India won their first test match against South Africa but went on to lose the series. In 2007 series of England, Laxman scored 39 at Lords’ and helped India save the test match. He went on to score couple of fifties in the remaining matches.

In India’s home series against their arch-rivals Pakistan, Laxman was preferred over Yuvraj Singh. Singh had just been named “Man of the series” in the ODI series. Laxman justified his inclusion scoring 72 at Delhi and 112 in the second test at Kolkata.

Record after 2007

Laxman toured Australia for the third time. He scored 109 in the controversial SGC Test match. At Perth, Laxman scored 79 in the second innings to setup a famous win against Australia.

India toured Sri Lanka in July 2008. Laxman was flummoxed by Ajantha Mendis who dismissed by him on five occasions. Laxman scored a couple of half-centuries in that series.

Australian attack looked insipid against Laxman as he clinched his second double century (200*) at Ferozshah Kotla,Delhi.

In 2009, Laxman scored 76 and 124* at Napier. India avoided innings defeat against NewZealand. Laxman then hit three fifities against Sri Lanka in three test matches at Ahmedabad, Kanpur and Mumbai respectively. India became the new No.1 in test match cricket.

Laxman scored 143* against South Africa at Kolkata. India managed to win the test match minutes before stumps and Hashim Amla’s centuries in each innings was not good enough for the Proteas to save the match. India drew the series and retained their top-spot in Test Cricket. Laxman scored 103* in a run chase against Sri Lanka at Colombo. India drew that series as well.

In the first test match against Australia at Mohali, India was chasing 216 for victory. Laxman was suffering from a back problem and was doubtful to bat in the second innings. India had lost Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina and Zaheer Khan (the night watchman). Laxman came in to bat with runner, Suresh Raina. Tendulkar, Dhoni and Harbhajan perished in quick successions as well. The score was 8/124. Laxman then put up a partnership of 81 with Ishant Sharna and then guided India to a famous win along with Pragyan Ojha. Laxman scored 73 not out. At Ahmedabad, Laxman scored 91 in the second innings after India was precariously placed at 5/15. He played his first home test match after 15 years and scored 74 on his home ground. He also scored 96 against South African pace battery at Durban. India won that game by 87 runs. Laxman was named the Man of the Match for his outstanding innings.

The Final Year

Laxman scored twin 80s against West Indies at Barbados. He followed that up with 56 at Rosseau. Shiv Chanderpaul got his wicket after Laxman was controversially stumped by Carlton Baugh. Laxman had a poor tour of England. His technique was again the talking point. During a test match at Nottingham former England skipper, Michael Vaughan, alleged that Laxman had put Vaseline on the edge of his bat in order to bamboozle the technology (Hot Spot) in BBC’s Test Match Special. India lost the series 4-0.

Laxman scored 176* against West Indies at Kolkata. In the third test match at Mumbai, Laxman was out driving loosely to Fidel Edwards in the first over of Day 3. India won that series 2-0.

Laxman had a horrible tour of Australia in 2011-12. He scored 155 runs at an average of 19.38. Laxman got out playing poor shots. He played down the wrong line and was out caught mostly behind the wicket.

Retirement

Laxman announced his retirement from international cricket on 18^th August 2012. Hyderabad Cricket Association has named a stand after Laxman at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal.

Salute to the great magician. Hail Laxman!