The Hindu : Yuvraj and Laxman

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 23, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Yuvraj and Laxman - two class acts

SYDNEY, JAN. 22. India's batsmen continue to pile on the runs. Not since the visit of Viv Richards' mighty West Indians has any touring side batted with as much style and conviction as this Indian outfit. Not even the absence of the regular openers could stem the flow. Although Brett Lee took an early wicket at the SCG, the visiting batsmen looked as comfortable as a man walking his dog.

Yuvraj Singh and V.V.S. Laxman led the way with a confident partnership after their leader had won the toss and decided to bat. Early wickets had been lost but that did not inhibit a fourth wicket pair hungry for runs and ready to work for them. Both batsmen play with an unmistakeable touch of class. Both are committed to winning matches and the style they display is merely an expression of their athleticism and relaxed disposition. Neither man plays any cheap or ugly shots.

Yuvraj batted in an unhurried way and in every respect is a thoroughly modern cricketer. He is combative too, and belongs to the new breed of Indian batsmen raised to believe that a man must stand his ground in the face of the most overwhelming odds and provocative opponents. His generation has a security absent in its predecessors. They dance to their own music.

Showing not the slightest sign of fear and appreciating the behaviour of the mild surface, Yuvraj was swiftly into his stride, stroking the ball around in a manner both wristy and stately. Not much of a chap for quick singles, he progressed with a range of handsome strokes, including pulls as the ball dropped short, flicks through square-leg and sweeps played with the delicacy of a swordsman taking the top off an egg.

Ponting and his bowlers tried to ruffle the left-hander but Yuvraj was not for swaying. Ian Harvey's slower ball was dispatched. Lee was put away with a roll of the wrists. Yuvraj was even entertaining in the middle overs, placing the ball between fieldsmen and using his wrists to create something out of nothing in the manner of a poor mother trying to feed her children.

On this evidence it is hard to see anything to stop him scoring runs in Test cricket, except himself because patience has its part to play in those prolonged examinations. He deserved his hundred, celebrated as a throw flew past his ear and then played a series of brilliant strokes in the closing overs, taking 26 runs off an over from Harvey with a range of daring strokes indicating rare ability.

Having appreciated his audacity, the crowd rose to Yuvraj when he left the field. Despite all the huffing and puffing in the newspapers, these tourists have been popular and their batting and fighting spirit have been admired.

Laxman was also outstanding. Like his partner he reaches beyond mere style and focuses his attention upon scoring runs and winning matches. Laxman responds intelligently to the demands of the situation and accordingly is well suited to batting at first wicket down in this form of the game.

Here he consolidated the innings after early losses had been suffered and still managed to score at a satisfactory rate. Once his partner had found his feet, Laxman was happy to play the supporting role. Able to contain his ego and to bat at various paces, the Hyderabadi has been the common factor in many outstanding partnerships. Laxman has played an enormous part in building the spirit of unity that lies behind the success of this team. At heart he is a musketeer.

Laxman produced several sumptuous drives and scored his runs with a versatility missing from his game in previous periods. After all it is not so long ago that he could not secure a place in the Indian team for the World Cup. But, then, he was not supposed to be able to play fast bowling either.

Yuvraj and Laxman made the bowling look weak. Surprisingly they were not seriously challenged as they made their way through a cloudy afternoon. If Ponting considered recalling his faster bowlers in an attempt to break the partnership he rejected the notion. His spinners were part-timers and his mediums were unthreatening. India reached another formidable total. After that it was a matter of trying to contain the Australians amidst the thunderstorms and flashes of lightning that came from the heavens and from the flashing blade of Adam Gilchrist.

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