NEW DELHI: In Australia he is considered the god of batting. Back home, V.V.S. Laxman is a mere mortal, always under scrutiny, always under pressure to perform and prove his credentials.

Recently during the Ashes, the commentators, a galaxy of highly successful cricketers, were involved in a discussion on Shane Warne and his amazing skills. Former England skipper Nasser Hussain was among them, analysing Warne's craft. The topic veered towards batsmen who had dominated Warne. The list was short, and it contained Laxman.

Hussain revealed his appreciation for Laxman by terming him as the batsman who tackled Warne in a most convincing manner. Laxman's ability to whip Warne on the front foot was, in Hussain's opinion, the key feature of his success against the legendary Australian leg-spinner.

Yet, ten years after he made his international debut, Laxman is stranded at the crossroad, left with the task of proving himself. It is another matter that bowlers on the domestic circuit must be silently cursing the National selectors for putting Laxman on trial, for, every time such conditions are slapped on Laxman, he responds with heavy scores.

The batsman responsible for the renaissance of Indian cricket just a few seasons ago is unfortunately the one always dumped in order to accommodate someone not half his stature. Take the latest episode involving his omission.

The parameters of selection vary in India, and Laxman's omission from the Indian team for the first two one-day internationals highlights this disturbing trend where forces inimical to the character of the game seem to be calling the shots.

A noble soul

If form was the sole criteria, as the selectors would like us to believe, then Laxman had qualified with ease. He batted with conviction and fluency, motivating his young partner, and scored a century in a Test against Zimbabwe and a century in the Challenger Series. He was in form, and was not unfit, and had met the high standards set by coach Greg Chappell and the selectors.

There is a saying that a good Test batsman can succeed in one-dayers too, like Laxman, but it may not work the other way. Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh are examples.

But, in the collective wisdom of the selectors, Laxman was not considered in the same league as Gautam Gambhir, a young and attacking batsman in the scheme of things for World Cup. Where does it leave Laxman, who has suffered in silence in the interest of the team?

While wickets and runs in the Challenger Series propelled S. Sreesanth and Y. Venugopala Rao's claims, Laxman was left frustrated. "It is unfortunate that Laxman receives such shabby treatment from the selectors," observed Kapil Dev, who, as a coach, had watched Laxman script that magnificent 167 at Sydney, an innings that evoked an unforgettable gesture from Brett Lee, who ran the breadth of the field to pat the Hyderabadi as he returned to a standing ovation.

It is sad that Laxman, a paragon of entertaining batsmanship, a performer of trusted class and immense value to the team, has none to back him. "Why should he need any backing from anyone. He deserves a place on sheer merit. We all know what his calibre is. He is as strong a batsman as any on his day," noted Kapil.

Laxman's woes

Laxman has been on perpetual trial. He was first moved to the opener's slot to accommodate someone in the middle order. Now he has been shunted out because an opener has to be accommodated in the middle order. So, Laxman becomes an easy choice, in the team's interest. Not a healthy sign at all. His omission defies all logic. In his case, fitness was never an issue and when he did prove his form it was not considered. He has never been allotted a fixed slot, often compelled to bat with lower order for company.

His teammates find him a noble soul, always willing to accommodate and help. That, as things stand today, has gone against Laxman.

His pleasant demeanour seems to have harmed his cause. He is not demonstrative and he is not visible too in the commercial world of cricket. The stiffest parameters of selection are reserved for Laxman, who now returns to domestic cricket to resume a job that comes naturally to him — demolish the bowlers in a silken manner that brings pure joy to those who value quality batsmanship.

And lest one forgets, if Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Jai Prakash Yadav are in the scheme of things for the World Cup, then Laxman cannot be far behind. He is the youngest in this group.

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