Musings about VVS Laxman
Laxman’s recent bravado’s against Sri Lanka and Australia have earned him tremendous acclaim and deserving praise from all quarters. It reminded me of a recent conversation with a colleague. It was a lovely evening during IPL season and the topic of Laxman came about. As usual Laxman was not in the picture in the shorter version and my colleague suddenly remarked “Is he really that great a player?” I politely retorted that Laxman has nothing else to prove and he has performed exceedingly well in Test cricket and his record speaks for itself. My response failed to create any impact since it’s quite normal for people to forget test performances in the dinge of the glamor surrounding the shorter versions of the game. Moreover Laxman doesn’t have a Marketing firm or an agent who would ensure his brand being recalled on the small screen.
I have also heard many say that apart from his monumental 281 Runs scored against Australia in Eden Gardens, Laxman doesn’t have other record’s to rave about. Or rather his 281 dwarfs the rest of his performances. He only has one other double century and 16 centuries. While it’s true that his 281 stands out in a class of its own and cannot be compared or replicated, there are many other crucial innings played by Laxman which ensured victory for India. Many of these scores are lesser than 100, but significant enough to ensure victory for India. For some one batting between positions 5 & 7, in 81 of the 114 Test Matches with an average of 52.28 runs playing in those positions, Laxman has indeed performed admirably. After all he was battling mostly with the lower middle order and the tail.
What would be the words that best describe Very Very Special Laxman? Reliability, Strength, Perseverance, Performance under Pressure, Performing against the Best, Wristy, Stylish, Genius, Gentleman, Serious and Brilliant are some of the words that immediately come to my mind.Definitely the words Flamboyance, Aggression, Petulance, Impatience, Emotional and Impropriety aren’t the appropriate words to depict VVS. His one and only misdemeanor on the field is his reprimanding Ojha in the Mohali test. The rude and violent world would consider his apologizing to Ojha immediately thereafter as extremely weak and comical.
As uncle and mentor who facilitated the process enabling him to fulfill his destiny, I can also say Laxman is a fantastic “Listener” with a tremendous “Passion” for the game. Apart from Self Belief it was his faith in his Cricketing Gurus (Coaches) and Sadguru “SAI” that saw him safely through all the pains, injuries, insults and travails. Lack and Struggle have only made him Stronger. Every doubt and fear has been replaced by a deep abiding trust as we behold the evidence of “SAI” all around VVS. As a proud uncle of VVS, I would like to share the links containing some of the lovely accolades and praises written about Laxman, after his recent knocks against Sri Lanka and Australia. I thank one and all for their support and good wishes to Laxman.
The genius and the doubter – Peter Roebuck
VVS Laxman is an artist whose strength lies not in his artistry but in his competitive spirit, a batsman who needs adversity to unleash the giant within
It was a thrilling end to a tight match. India had found their champion. Laxman had confirmed his standing in the game. His career has been a compelling tale of greatness remaining locked away in the mind till the call comes and then emerging and laying waste before retreating back into its shell. As far as cricket is concerned Laxman is a warrior by instinct and a man of peace by manner. The conflict has made his career fascinating and frustrating. His genius is peculiar and requires the most particular conditions. His greatness lies in the fact that those conditions are the toughest not the easiest. He is an artist whose strength lies not in his artistry but in his competitive spirit….
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Always the artist, never the superstar – Harsha Bhogle
VVS Laxman inhabits a world of his own, an era of old-time virtue that we are reminded of all too infrequently these days
And he is understated - another disqualification from the world of commercial endorsements. When he uses the letter "i" it is only because it is in the middle of the word "win". He loves winning, he loves contributing to a win, but he is unlikely to be nudging someone to be in the first row of the photograph.
And so while the big cheques don't always appear, something else does: respect in his dressing room and in that of the opposition; like it does for Naseeruddin Shah, while the big cheques go to Salman Khan. But respect never goes out of fashion; it is something all performers crave, and he has it in abundance.
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The steel beneath the silk – Sambit Bal
The splendour of his batting sometimes distracts Laxman's admirers from the mental strength that is such a big part of his game
But it will stand the scrutiny of time that not only have many of his runs come in tough situations but against the toughest opponents. No team has beaten Australia in more Tests than India since Laxman started playing, and to these nine wins, from Kolkata to Mumbai, Chennai to Mohali, Adelaide to Perth, Laxman has contributed over 1000 runs at 71.80.
And only a Test ago he guided India to a series-levelling win in Colombo, with an assured hundred in the final innings of the match, a feat so rare that it has been achieved only 63 times in the history of the game, which spans 1972 Tests and features 3396 hundreds in all. It is rare for a reason: a chase in the final innings not only requires the batsman summon all his skills for the pitch on the final is at its most demanding but also the mental faculty to isolate his batting from the situation while being always aware that his is the wicket that could turn the game.
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A toast to Very Very Special Laxman – Soutik Biswas
Laxman is a cricketer's cricketer in many ways, and one of the greatest ever. Remember, he has an exalted place on Wisden'sTop Ten batting performances of all time for his epic 281 against Australia in 2001, an innings of Cecil DeMille proportions against the strongest side in the world in the most adverse of circumstances. In that list, he is in the company of people like Donald Bradman and Brian Lara.
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A batsman of imagery and imagination – Sharda Ugra
When Laxman takes the stage in his moment, he can conjure up the illusion that the crisis is not being tackled, it is being ignored
Never mind what he can do to his team's fortunes. This is a man who can make prime ministers run.
Sighted around the back of the pavilion at the 2004 Sydney Test, John Howard, then premier of Australia, suddenly broke into a trot, and his six bodyguards instantly switched to light-jog mode. A few minutes after the PA system had announced that the new man in was the one he referred to as "Laksmin", Howard made his way through a strolling, slightly puzzled crowd and towards his box seat. Affairs of state were going to have to wait.
If anything about Indian cricket could make Howard crack a smile today, it would have to be the news that VVS Laxman had steered the Indians through a nervy run-chase and levelled the Test series against Sri Lanka.
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Mohali win one of India's greatest sports achievements, says Gavaskar
“The way it was achieved, when most of the major batsmen were out and eight wickets were down and India needed about 80-90 runs still to win... the way that partnership took place and took India close, I think it is got to be the greatest win and among the greatest achievements in Indian sports,” Gavaskar told NDTV.
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The Magic of VVS – Ian Chappel
Laxman has hand-eye coordination that is the envy of surgeons, a competitive drive that his opposition dreads, and the kind of nous good captains need
Laxman's contribution to India's breathtaking victory went way beyond the runs he scored. His decision early on to put his faith in Ishant Sharma's batting ability played a big part in the gangling quickie's vital role in their match-winning partnership. Laxman has always been tactically aware; he would have been India's best choice as captain following SouravGanguly's successful reign. He will never captain the team but he'll forever be remembered as India's most prolific match-winning batsman.
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Laxman deserves a Platinum medal – Sunil Gavaskar
If there were medals in cricket VVS Laxman would get a Platinum medal for his wonderful batting and the manner in which he shepherded two lower order batsmen to take India to an improbable win. He had a back injury during the game so did not bat at his usual number in both innings and came out with a runner.
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The man called 'very, very special' - Abhijit Majumder
VVS. Loosely named Very Very Special. What does it mean anyway in the hot, tumbling soup of Indian cricket?
A gross understatement, for lovers of art.
VVS Laxman will go down in history as a middle-order batsman who played a few matches beyond everybody's liver and spleen, even the mighty Sachin Tendulkar and India's most dependable batsman ever, Rahul Dravid, and won crucial matches for his country.
He is far more than that. Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman is one of the best batsmen the world has seen. Ever. Let me tell you why. He never deserted art.
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Laxman Parva - Arvind Swaminathan
VVS is a happy anachronism in a world bristling with crass industry
It is easy to recognise V.V.S. Laxman each time his toothy grin fills up half the front page. But is it all that difficult to imagine him as a doctor, which is actually what his doctor-parents wanted him to be? Imagine a mercenary hospital milking the masses. Imagine an emergency room full of flashy white coats discussing golf swings, luxury cars and country homes. Now, imagine the expert, called in to help only when a life has to be saved, making a ooh-inspiring cut here, an aah-inspiring stab there. Imagine.
Resident non-Indians who cannot utter Vangipurappu Venkata Sai without breaking into a grin have settled on ‘Very Very Special’ to work their way around his name. But if there is a full form of vvs that comes closest to capturing the essence of Laxman, it has to be ‘Very Very South Indian’. A quiet, understated, tough-as-nails winner like his other peninsular pals and peers: Anil and Rahul and Sri.
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1 comment:
• I must say it was a rare and I mean it when I say rare to see Laxman get angry. And I have known him since a young age.
• What can you say, Laxman loves Australian bowling, it's like you go to a restaurant like Chutney's and when you have the menu in your hand you immediately go for the dishes you are most comfortable with or your favorite it might be repetitive for people around you, but hey you like it right. And does Laxman like to eat Aussie bowlers like a Buffet table; you take your time with it.
• Unsung Hero? That's the understatement of the century, he has a no. of times dragged India's butt out of the fire and while he may not be given a 6 no. cheque the satisfaction that he dragged them out when the better known top tier fails is a much bigger reward than any cheque and the fact that he did it severely injured makes it all the sweeter.
• He is the same person on and off the field.
• Yeah he didn't get any accolades, and that isn't fair but he isn't in it for the praise or the fame or the cash he is in it for his dream of playing cricket for India. Unfortunately in this world of ours people look to those with largest statistics and we need to remind ourselves, ‘The mightiest tree in the forest, was born of a weak seed, and through time and perseverance against all odds, and all dangers, a great tree, tall and strong is born there and stands proud and defiant before all who face it…Never forget that the greatest of champions were mere men and women, who grew into heroes in their darkest times, you have to start small to become something greater.’ c’est la vie --- such is life
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