VVS Laxman’s decision to retire from international cricket a big mystery

The last few months in Indian cricket have been gloomy, to say the least. While it s true that the Indian battalion was humiliated in England and Australia, it s unfortunate that many fingers were pointed at the ageing superstars in the Indian dressing room after back to back debacles.

The last few months in Indian cricket have been gloomy, to say the least. While it’s true that the Indian battalion was humiliated in England and Australia, it’s unfortunate that many fingers were pointed at the ageing superstars in the Indian dressing room after back to back debacles. Rahul Dravid called it quits a few months ago, and now it’s VVS Laxman. Who knew, despite the growing voices to axe the ‘oldies’, that Indian cricket would soon be faced with a predicament of filling the void created by the exit of these two greats. India hasn’t come up with a modus operandi for avoiding such catastrophes in the future yet, and the depletion of stability in the middle-order is only going to add to the list of woes.

 

The demand for infusion of young blood gathered steady momentum after the horrendous tours of England and Australia. Rahul Dravid, who was ridiculed for a couple of years before he struck form during the tour of England, let his bat do the talking during these two series and was hence spared by the Indian cricket fans. He bowed out with the respect, but whether he’d be given the adulation he received, and make no mistake – thoroughly deserved, had he failed to perform during the last one year, would have been interesting to see. Sachin Tendulkar too was below par, but not many were willing to commit blasphemy.

 

The fanbois desperately needed a scapegoat; so who better than the soft-spoken personality in the form of Laxman.

 

The Neglected Hero 

 

Let’s go back in time a little, say before the series against England and Australia commenced. Indian cricket’s ascendancy in Test cricket began since 2009, and during the period between January 2009 and July 2011, India’s top run-getters were Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Dravid and Laxman.

 

Below are the statistics from January 2009-July 2011:

 

Player	Matches	Runs	Average	100s	50s
Sachin Tendulkar	21	2263	78.03	10	8
Virender Sehwag	21	2077	61.08	7	9
Rahul Dravid	22	1805	53.08	6	7
VVS Laxman	21	1700	62.96	3	15

 

Just before the twin debacles, Laxman averaged higher than Sehwag and Dravid. Only Tendulkar was far ahead.  After that, Laxman’s performance became inversely proportional to that of Dravid’s, and considering the fact that Dravid became India’s best Test batsman in 2011-12, Laxman’s position becomes clear.

Laxman found it difficult to counter the swing in England and bounce in Australia, yet he featured at the top in home conditions. As I mentioned in my previous article, since the last three years, he has averaged 82.63 at home, and has amassed the highest number of runs after Sehwag, Dravid and Tendulkar.
It would have augured well if people and the cricket fraternity were a little tolerant towards Laxman. The entire team were in a downward spiral, not just one man. To single him out and accuse him of stealing a younger player’s spot is totally unfair. Had Dravid failed in those two series, he would perhaps have received similar treatment, which is a scary thought. But sadly, that’s the way Laxman has been handled. What else could explain his retirement with ‘immediate effect’ despite having the opportunity to end on a high in front of his home crowd?

Agreed, a sportsperson cannot go on forever, but given his form at home, and his recent showing in domestic cricket, Laxman deserved to at least end on a high.
Huge void to fill

 
Laxman has copped a lot of criticism throughout his playing career, and more so during recent times. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar stated that “Laxman’s fitness in Australia (the last time we saw him in action) and his performances there told us something. In comparison, I thought Tendulkar looked a lot fitter and more likely to get runs than Laxman in those conditions. If I had to back one of the two veterans going forward, it would be Tendulkar.”

 

While there are youngsters capable of doing a good job, whether they can fill the huge void left behind by both Dravid and Laxman remains to be seen. What Indian cricket needed was a smooth transition, but now the head honchos will have to take some quick decisions. Laxman could still have been an asset in home conditions. The youngsters are no doubt skilled, but would they be able to match Laxman’s technicality and experience at home?

 

Just a few days before the squad for the series against New Zealand was to be picked, Laxman mentioned that he was fit, had loads to offer and was keen on playing at home. What then led him to announce retirement despite being picked? Quite clearly it’s a mystery. Perhaps he’d had enough of the criticism, or perhaps he wasn’t given a clear picture of his future by the selectors. Whatever the reasons, one thing is for sure – we’ve seen the last of Very Very Special Laxman on the field, and he will be sorely missed.

 

(If cricket is a religion and has many devotees, Karthik Parimal would be a primary worshipper. His zeal for writing and love for the sport of cricket is what has brought him here. Karthik can also be followed on Twitter)

 

Click here to view all the articles related to VVS Laxman’s retirement

 

VVS Laxman’s career in pictures

 

Please click here to pay your tributes to VVS Laxman 

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