V.V.S. Laxman revealed that he endured severe pain in his back while conjuring up his match-winning unbeaten century on the final day of the third Test here on Saturday.
He said, “I took a couple of pain-killers before going in again in the afternoon. I got some treatment from the physio. I just focused on the goal and that helped me forget the pain. I finally had to take a runner (Virender Sehwag) because I could not deal with the pain anymore.
“I developed the injury (spasm) in my lower back yesterday (Friday). It was very painful,” Laxman added.
The elegant batsman said the innings would rank high in his list of precious knocks for India. “This one stands out. It is very satisfying when a team wins on the back of your century in the fourth innings. The partnership between me and Sachin (Tendulkar) changed the game. There was some assistance for the spinners and we decided to play session by session.”
“It was a crucial and important win for us. It was not easy for the bowlers earlier. But, they did well in this Test. The bowlers also fought hard with the bat. They put a price on their wicket,” Laxman said.
On his Test place being under constant scrutiny, Laxman said, “I have had critics right from the start of my career. But, what matters is the team and what they think of you. I do not get bothered now. I have always had to fight for my place.”
The graceful batsman said the dressing room atmosphere had been exceptional. “This is the best dressing room atmosphere ever in my career. All credit to captain Dhoni and coach Kirsten. A team is like a family.”
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was all praise for Laxman.
“This is why he is called ‘Very Very Special'. He has always come up with innings that have a huge bearing on the game. Today, it was very important for him to score runs because the team needed it to level the series.”
Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara said Laxman played superbly. “He batted exceptionally well. I think we had a couple of chances with Sachin and then with Raina. I think that would have made it a lot more interesting. But, they (the Indians) batted excellently.
Sangakkara said Randiv was a bowler for the future. “His biggest asset is his self-confidence. He spins the ball and gets good bounce.”
Indian coach Gary Kirsten said: “It just shows the character of this side. When a couple of main guys are missing, it gives the others an opportunity to prove themselves. I think Ishant and Mithun came along very well.”
Tendulkar said: “Laxman has done it in the past in crisis situations. It was a very, very good innings. He was involved in a couple of important partnerships along the way. It was a team effort.”
