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Happy birthday, VVS Laxman! India’s stylish batsman turns 41
Former Indian cricketer and CricketCountry.com’s Chief Cricket Mentor, VVS Laxman turned 41 on Sunday.
01 November 2015 • 12:06 PM
Former Indian cricketer and CricketCountry.com’s Chief Cricket Mentor, VVS Laxman turned 41 on Sunday. The right-handed batsman who was a key member of the famed Indian batting line-up, who propelled the team to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test Rankings, had retired from international cricket a week before the home series against New Zealand in 2012. Also known as ‘Very Very Special’, Laxman was the chief tormentor of Australia in an era when they were almost invincible. Laxman not only enjoyed scoring against the might of Australian bowlers, but his monumental efforts in Kolkata in 2001 and in Mohali in 2010, were the standout performances in his career. ALSO READ: Eden Gardens — the everlasting honeymoon for VVS Laxman – Rahul Dravid and other pairs
Laxman made his debut against South Africa at Ahmedabad in 1996, and went on to play 134 Tests for India. He scored 8.781 runs in the longest form of cricket at an average close to 46, smashing 17 centuries and 56 half-centuries for India. Laxman’s highest score in Test cricket was against Australia, when he scored 281 as India wee following-on at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The right-handed stylish batsman played 86 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for India. He made his ODI debut two years after the first appearance in Test cricket, in 1998 against Zimbabwe at Cuttack. Laxman scored 2,338 runs in 86 ODIs, registering six centuries and 10 half-centuries. Laxman played his final ODI against South Africa at Centurion in 2006, but went on to play Test cricket for six more years. ALSO READ: India tour of Australia 2003-04: The Dravid-Laxman symphony, the second movement
Laxman cherished every opportunity against Australia, as he is the second Indian cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to score more than 2,000 runs in Test cricket. Against the most dominating side in international cricket in the first decade of this millennium, Laxman played 29 Tests (home and away), scored 2,434 runs in all, smashed six tons, 12 half-centuries. Laxman’s overall average was 49.67 against Australia, whereas in 15 Tests Down Under, he scored 1,236 runs with four centuries and as many fifties at 44.14.