Laxman’s dramatic decision to call it a day

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Classy Indian batsman V V S Laxman, whose stroke-play was considered by many as poetry in motion, has announced his retirement from international cricket on August 18 rather dramatically in his hometown of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

Although his retirement from international cricket was very much on cards following his dismal performance during the successive tours of England and Australia, where India got thrashed in all eight Test matches, Laxman chose to do it after being picked in the squad for the upcoming home series against New Zealand starting in less than a week’s time. 

With Rahul Dravid already having quit earlier this year, the selectors had provided him another opportunity to Laxman probably to lend stability to a middle-order which has been far from inconsistent in the recent past. 

There was an added incentive for Laxman to keep playing for a few more weeks with the first Test against New Zealand being played at his home turf and the second Test scheduled to be staged in another South Indian city of Bangalore. 

But he has opted to pull out of the squad after being selected. May he’s trying to pass an impression that he called it a day when still in demand. Certainly he has done it before being axed from the Indian team of which he has been a pivot for a decade and a half.

"It's been 16 years since I have made my international debut for India and I think it is the right time to move on," an emotional Laxman stated while announcing his retirement in Hyderabad. 

 "As a youngster it was dream to represent India and it took lot of pride to wear India cap. I would like to give youngsters an opportunity to prove themselves. I am grateful to Almighty for blessing me to live my dream of playing cricket," he added. 

"I have always felt that I have got the opportunity to serve my country and have played the best cricket not only in India but overseas as well. I think it is time to give youngsters a chance at home ahead of a tough season. I have always kept the country's success ahead of personal aspirations," Laxman felt. 

"I communicated my decision to BCCI earlier in the day that I am not going to continue playing cricket and would hang my boots with immediate effect," he declared.

"It was emotional during the past 4-5 hours while talking to my colleagues with whom I've shared the dressing room. I have not been able to get in touch with 'MS' as he is very hard to reach,” he disclosed.  

"Any innings that saves a match is very special. There are a lot of innings and matches that are very close to me and I will cherish all of them. Durban 2010 (96 against South Africa) was one of those knocks that I would cherish. Winning that match in the fashion that we did will be very memorable to me," Laxman recalled. 

"I will be very satisfied with the decision that I have taken and I will never regret this decision. Even in my exit, I will be following and living my ideals, which would be to keep the country before my personal needs," he asserted. 

"It was my privilege to play with the some of the legends of the game like Sachin, Rahul, Kumble, Sehwag, Saurav and a lot of other players as well. All of them inspired me because everyone had one single goal - to do well for country and to work for the progress of Indian cricket. They were all role models for me," the modest right-hander stated.

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The end of an era for sure

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Although cricket is a game of uncertainty and nothing could be predicted or assessed surely but when it comes to the Indians going downhill everything becomes very clearly predictable.

When the Indians are not on top of their game it means catastrophe for them for all practical purposes because nothing comes to save them. When Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side was whitewashed in England last summer there was a feeling that the injuries to key players contributed decisively to their downfall.

But the manner in which their full strength has been bulldozed in Australia now the message is loud and clear that their batting stalwarts are over the hill and the trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman needs to be shown the door.

The greatness of Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman can never be doubted but they have done enough disservice to their team by not being able to save a single Test match in last eight attempts overseas.

Call it shameful or disgraceful losing eight Tests on a trot away from home is a blot for what used to be the top ranked side before. The team which used to win Test matches at the strength of its batters in every corner of the world is now unable to force even a draw on the most placid of pitches.

The trio of Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman served the cause of the Indian cricket in their heydays but they have been under the hammer for the past eight months. They have failed miserably in the challenging conditions of England and Australia where they used to score freely in the past.

The Indian selectors as well as their think-tank seemed to have missed a trick by not having taken the preventive measures. Another factor to have contributed in their downward journey appears to be the absence of Garry Kirsten, who had excelled in the role of a coach.

Duncan Fletcher must be having credentials to be a competent coach but he’s nowhere near to the class of the brainy Kirsten who suited the Indians in many ways and was chiefly responsible for taking them to the top of the ladder.

Obviously in a country like India where cricket is much more than just a sport, it’s never easy or even practical to make tough calls. That’s why the Greg Chappell theory of institutionalization didn’t work in his stint as the Indian coach.

Some other countries might have dumped Tendulkar and Laxman right away after the disastrous tour of England but it might not have been possible doing it in India as the matter could easily have been taken to the parliament or people would turned to streets in protest.

If India had to lose all four Tests in Australia, they would have been better off doing it with a young brigade. Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma could have scored more than Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman as Virat Kohli proved.

Kohli’s start to Test career wasn’t an impressive one but he has improved in leaps and bounds lately. Sharma and Raina, both of them natural stroke-makers, could have also benefited greatly if given a chance there.

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Laxman, Zaheer script the most famous of all recent conquests

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Although it would be unfair not to pass on the credit to the entire Indian cricket team for having brought off a spectacular victory over South Africa in the second Test at Kingsmead, Durban, to level the three-match series, at least two people came out with standout performance to script what must be the most famous of all their recent conquests.

VVS Laxman was very rightly adjudged Man of the Match for having topscored in India’s both innings. On a pitch where nobody else from either side could reach a half-century he very nearly scored a century of his own in the second outing.

Zaheer Khan, who had missed the first Test due to injury, returned with a bang to spearhead the attack that had lacked both venom as well as purpose. His terrific bowling lifted the morale and performance of the team which resulted in one of the greatest-ever comeback victory by any team in cricket history.

I don’t know if many people gave the Indians much chance of squaring the series in Durban after having been mauled in the first Test. But they proved themselves against the heaviest of odds to register a comprehensive 87-run win the low scoring game.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, we all know, cannot do much to change his luck with the coin. Hail the brave man for making it up with his courage and never say die approach. Any ordinary mortal would have been heartbroken after losing yet another crucial toss on a bowl first pitch. But he knew his men had the mental toughness to overcome such obstacles.

Isn’t it truly remarkable that India managed to pull off victory in the Durban Test even after being inserted by the home captain in the most teasing of conditions for batsmen? I tell you no other side in the world could have even come close to getting 200 with the ball seaming and bouncing so much on the first day.

The Indians showed that they have learned their lessons very quickly and their positive approach kept them ahead of the game. The first innings total of 205 was below par for the formidable batting line-up that they possesses but it still represented a fighting score and there was some cushion for their bowlers.

The Indian bowling attack, as expected, looked much more potent with the return of Zaheer and the South Africans were found wanting in application. The substantial first innings lead was always going to play a decisive role until the visitors were bundled out for a very low total in their second innings.

Virender Sehwag got India off to a flying start with his trademark attacking shots but the loss of four quick wickets opened up the game. It needed a brilliant knock from Laxman to put India back on top and they were the favourites when the target they set crossed the magical figure of 300.

The South Africans started their chase aggressively but the loss of Graeme Smith opened up the floodgates and with Harbhajan Singh extracting turn and bounce batting was never going to be easy.

The hosts were tested by the pace trio of Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Shantikumaran Sreesanth on the responsive pitch and the match ended with over a day to spare.

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