Significantly Special - A Fan's Tribute

Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman while performing yet another easy to the eye yet supremely stylish master class at “The Eden” became only the fifth Indian to scale the 7000 run summit in test cricket, joining the exclusive club that includes Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and one Mr. Sachin Tendulkar. This, on first reading makes an odd group - The Little Master – Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul “The Wall” Dravid, the greatest leader for Indian cricket S.C Ganguly, God of a billion – Sachin Tendulkar and one VVS Laxman – whose “very very special” innings make sporadic headlines on a sports front page?

Once the dust settles on the careers of this generation of extra-ordinary batsmen that India has been gifted with, the name that perhaps will be least etched on the minds of the followers of Indian Cricket will be of this special player – VVS Laxman. Sloppy running between the wickets, a pathetic fielder outside slips, a false start in the most popular version of the game of the last decade – the one dayers, a non start in the most popular version of the game now – the T20s – and playing at a time when the media and the public in general is obsessed with blooding in the more “flashy” youngsters into the middle – there are enough reasons to excuse a follower of Indian cricket to overlook VVS Laxman’s contribution over this decade outside of the one magical innings of 281. When you think about it, Laxman has played half the decade with the media bating for his blood.

Enough has been written about that epic knock and the consequence it had on Indian Cricket – providing a huge thrust for the Sourav Ganguly era of Indian cricket to flourish. However, the resolve, grit and the ambition to make a difference to the outcome of the game are the qualities sometimes lost in the pure class, skill and elegance, Laxman exhibited in that knock. It is these qualities that Laxman has managed to display throughout his career, right from his debut till his latest majestic essay at the Eden, without catching attention. Much like his innings, artistic, elegant and ridiculously skillful but never craves for attention. The fifty on debut against a strong South African side when the side was tottering at 6/120 to setup a target enough for Javagal Srinath to weave his magic proved to be a precursor for two observations –1) the indomitable will of VVS Laxman to make a significant contribution to the outcome of the game and 2) The significance of the innings is usually forgotten to a more dynamic performance.

The 89 against South Africa at Port Elizabeth in 2001 with India tottering at 8 for a little over a hundred to give India a chance to fight to stay in the game, the extremely cautious fifties in Trinidad and Tobago to setup India’s first victory in the Caribbean in a generation, the magical summer in Australia in 2003-04, a 69 made with ridiculous ease to setup a win on a rank turner against the mighty Aussies in Mumbai, a game saving century at home against New-Zealand and Sri Lanka, or for that matter the 167 at Sydney that announced the arrival of a special talent to the world and I am only scratching the surface of the impact VVS Laxman has had on test matches.

However, rather unfortunately, once the dust settles on his career, perhaps the significance of this simple genius to Indian Cricket and World Cricket will be lost in his single greatest production. The 281 at the Eden. His direct impact on the outcome of games, series even, his momentous sense of occasion, and his unerring ability to perform in the crunch time, besides being one of the few foundation pillars upon which the stupendous success of the Indian test team, this decade, was built on, will perhaps be forgotten to this one great knock and in general, his performance against this one great team.

This brings me to the Laxman Conundrum. Owner of arguably the greatest innings ever seen, one which even the likes of Sachin Tendulkar can only dream off and owner of more than a 100 test caps for team India. Yet the career will seem unfulfilled as Laxman yearns for a World Cup cap that a fast running bloke who can throw himself around on the field might have a better chance of earning. Someone who perhaps one day will be called a modern day legend, yet never really came to terms with the modern forms of the game.

From a historic perspective, he is probably the link to the old school and the new school of batting. The artistic batsman who looks hideous when attempting the sweep. Also, perhaps like how Lara had such a Caribbean flavor to his batting, Laxman will be missed for what he brings to world cricket – a distinctively south Indian school of batting that has amazed the world with the magical display of wrists.

The Laxman Conundrum is probably the most fitting way to remember the career of VVS Laxman once he hangs up his boots. A conundrum can be a fitting definition of a career of a player who invokes contradictions. And Laxman manages to do just that – a modern stalwart with no accolades to speak off in the modern form and one who manages to take the life out of the opposition while being extremely gentle at it. But for the fan of this great player, it is a day like this, when just looking at the group he is a part of, the 7000 run club for India, his career will be remembered with respect to its contribution to Indian cricket in particular and the game of cricket itself, as Very Very Significant!