VVS Laxman the unsung hero of India, Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman or as he was fondly called Very Very Special Laxman bacause of his tremendous contributions to Indian cricket. Batting in the lower middle order, he played some very special innings that would be forever etched in our memory. He had a great technique, nice posture, a calm head on his shoulders but what made his batting a treat to watch were his elegant wrists. Often he would even fetch balls outside off stumps too, to flick them in the elegant Hyderabadi style for boundaries. This ability of his made it quite difficult for bowlers to bowl to him. He always saved his best for the Australians. Ask any bowler from his era and they would take Laxman’s name as one of the most difficult batsmen to bowl to. He played both pace and spin with same stamping authority. Being one of the fabulous four that formed the backbone of India’s batting in the first decade of 2000, he had various memorable partnerships with the top order batsmen, but he also possessed the unique ability of batting with the lower order which helped India win or save several matches.
Very Very Special XI in a Chronological order
281 vs Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata 2001
11-15 Mar 2001: VVS Laxman of India pulls to the boundary on his way to a record 281 during the Second Test match against Australia played at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta, India. India won the game by 171 runs to level the three test series at 1-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill /Allsport
69*+74 vs West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad 2002
148 vs Austalia at Adelaide Oval 2003
103 vs Australia at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, 2004
107 vs Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 2004
LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Indian batsman Venkatsai Laxman hits a boundary off Pakistani spin bowler Shoaib Malik (Unseen)on his way to compelete a century during the fifth and final One Day International (ODI) match between Pakistan and India at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore, 24 March 2004. Laxman hit 107 runs before being dismissed as India made 254 runs for the loss of six wickets at the end of 46 overs play. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)
69 vs Australia at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 2004
MUMBAI, INDIA – NOVEMBER 5: VVS Laxman (R) of India in action during day three of the Fourth Test between India and Australia at Wankhede Stadium on November 5, 2004 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)
103 vs Sri Lanka atP Sara Oval, Colombo 2010
73* vs Australia at PCA Stadium, Mohali,Chandigarh 2010
91 vs New Zealand at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad 2010
Indian cricketer Venkata Sai Laxman runs between the wickets (R) as New Zealand cricketer Chris Martin (C) and wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins looks on during the last day of the first Test match between India and New Zealand at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium in Motera on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on November 8, 2010. India is currently 124 runs for the loss of six wickets. AFP PHOTO/ Sajjad HUSSAIN (Photo credit should read SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images)
96 vs South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban 2010
176* vs West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata 2011
KOLKATA, INDIA – NOVEMBER 17: VVS Laxman of India is congratulated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as he is awarded the man of the match for his unbeaten knock of 176 runs which helped India in winning the test match by an innings and 15 runs during the fourth day of second test match between India and West Indies at Eden Gardens stadium on November 17, 2011 in Kolkata, India. (Photo by Subhankar Chakraborty/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
