V. V. S. Laxman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

VVS Laxman India (Ind)

Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling type	Right-arm offbreak
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	73	85
Runs scored	4441	2338
Batting average	43.11	31.17
100s/50s	9/24	6/10
Top score	281	131
Balls bowled	252	42
Wickets	1	-
Bowling average	100.00	-
5 wickets in innings	-	-
10 wickets in match	-	N/A
Best bowling	1/32	-
Catches/stumpings	80/-	39/-
As of 5 March 2006 Source: Cricinfo.com

Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman pronunciation (help·info) (born November 1, 1974, in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh), better known as V. V. S. Laxman, is a member of the Indian national cricket team.

As a batsman he is noted for his superb timing and ability to hit against the turn against spin bowlers. His batting style is similar to the more famous Hyderabadi, Mohammed Azharuddin - whom Laxman says is his role-model.

Laxman made his Test debut in 1996, hitting a fifty against South Africa at Ahmedabad. However, he was subsequently unable to cement his place in a star-studded Indian middle-order. Instead, he was asked to open the innings, starting in South Africa in 1997. Laxman intermittently continued in this role for nearly three years, but without any consistent success. In January 2000, he made 167 against Australia at Sydney, a rare high point for India in an otherwise disastrous tour. Despite this success against an attack containing both Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, Laxman apparently decided that he would return to domestic cricket, rather than continue playing as opener, a role which he believed did not suit him. As a result, Laxman was out of the Test team for nearly a year. He was recalled in late 2000, and also found a spot in the side for the home series against Australia in 2001.

Laxman's career changed dramatically in this series. In the first Test at Mumbai, Laxman made 20 and 12, as the entire Indian batting line-up, with the exception of Sachin Tendulkar, capitulated, leading to a 10-wicket defeat. In the next Test, however, Laxman shot to fame with an extraordinary Test innings of 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001, when under tremendous pressure, he broke Sunil Gavaskar's long standing record of 236*. This remained the highest ever by an Indian till it was eclipsed by Virender Sehwag's triple ton against Pakistan in Multan in March, 2004. The innings also contributed to a record partnership of 376 with Rahul Dravid. Laxman's performance was of enormous consequence: India had been on the brink of an innings defeat but went on to win the Test and the series, denying Steve Waugh conquest of the "last frontier". It has become one of the most celebrated tales of Indian cricket, and the innings is ranked the sixth best Test innings ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Laxman then cemented his place both in the Test and one day teams for a few years. He has continued to perform well against Australia, especially during India's tour of Australia in 2003, in which he hit three ODI and two Test centuries. One of his centuries, his 148 in the second Test at Adelaide, came in a triple century partnership with, once again, Dravid. India won the Test, their first Test victory in Australia in two decades. His 178 at Sydney also came in a triple century partnership, on the occasion with Sachin Tendulkar. For this reason, Ian Chappell described him as Very Very Special Laxman.

However, Laxman's form has declined since that tour of Australia. Since March 2004, beginning with the series in Pakistan, Laxman has only made only three Test centuries, with one of them coming against Zimbabwe, currently ranked the worst team in Test cricket. He even struggled against his favorite opponents Australia in the home series in October-November 2004, although his 69 in the final Test at Mumbai helped India record a consolation victory, having lost the series. Laxman was even dropped after scoring a duck in the first Test against England at Mumbai in March 2006. He regained his place for the tour to the West Indies, thanks to an injury to Tendulkar, and made a hundred in the third Test, but his place is far from guaranteed. In ODI cricket, Laxman has been left out persistently since Greg Chappell took over as coach in mid-2005, mainly on account of his poor fielding, but also a perception that his batting is too one paced for ODI cricket. This is despite his superb form in Australia and Pakistan in early 2004, when he made four centuries in 14 games, including three in a week in the VB Series in Australia. It seems Laxman may again miss out on the squad for the 2007 World Cup, having been surprisingly overlooked for the 2003 World Cup.

He married G.R.Sailaja, in February of 2004.