The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : ‘Test cricket will always retain its charm’

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‘Test cricket will always retain its charm’

Vijay Lokapally

— Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury.

V.V.S. Laxman.

NEW DELHI: It is not his nature to hurt the bowler, not even the ball. He will just caress it, almost cajoling it to run to the boundary.

His batting is as unpretentious as his character. For V.V.S. Laxman, flair and consistency have been the hallmark of a career that stands out for some wonderful deeds, home and away. In Australia, he is the best advertisement for Indian cricket. And that means a lot.

He notes, “I am quite satisfied with my Test career. I am happy with the consistency I have shown and also with some of the match-winning knocks. But there is always room for improvement and I am striving hard.”

Key performer

That cannot be good news for the bowlers, who are aware that he has been the key performer in Kolkata, Adelaide, Sydney and Perth where some of the greatest matches have been played against Australia.

“I have my individual goals and ambitions which I want to achieve but more than this, if I can contribute in India becoming the no.1 ranked Test team I would be happy. Records and milestones just reflect your contribution to your team.”

Laxman, often forgotten by the men in charge despite some awesome match-winning shows, says he would have been happy if he had played more one-dayers for the country because the challenge of playing against world-class bowlers and on different kinds of pitches really fascinates him.

He acknowledges the contributions of his uncle (R. Baba Krishnamohan) and his coaches in making him realise the importance of good technique.

“My uncle was the one who spotted talent in me. So, without doubt, he had a big influence in my career. Azzu bhai (Mohammad Azharuddin) was the captain of India when I was growing up and not only me, my entire batch looked up to him. I learnt a lot from Jai uncle (M.L. Jaisimha) when he was the coach of the Hyderabad Ranji team. Apart from these, I also had lot of well-wishers who helped me at various stages of my career.”

For Laxman, T20 cricket is a form of entertainment. “I don’t think it would affect Test cricket and I am sure Test cricket will retain its charm.”

With the magic of his wrists, Laxman’s makes a mockery of field placements. “Technique is the foundation of your game. If you have a good basic technique, it will be easy to adapt to any format and conditions.”

He makes batting look easy.

Laxman says he would have loved to be like his father. “I feel really proud when people talk about the dedication, commitment and service-oriented approach my dad showed and is showing in the field of medicine. I wish I could be as committed to my profession as he is to his.”

How does he approach batting?

“I always try to compete with myself and improve my game so that I can perform consistently for my country. I always given importance to preparation. I believe if you prepare well, you will be more confident of performing.”

His five best knocks?

“281 against Australia (in Kolkata, 2001), 69 against Australia (in Mumbai, 2004); 89 against South Africa (in Port Elizabeth, 2001); 353 against Karnataka for Hyderabad (in Bangalore, 2000) and 148 against Australia (in Adelaide, 2003),” he says.

A big one in the IPL would justify the potential of the 33-year-old Laxman, who says he would love to be known as a gentleman cricketer who played the game honestly, without ever bringing it to disrepute.

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