“I was a great admirer of Gundappa Viswanath. He was my hero. Now, V.V.S. Laxman reminds me a lot about Viswanath. Like Viswanath, he is a match-winner,” said chairman of the Indian selection panel Krishnamachari Srikkanth after India's stirring 87-run win over South Africa in Durban on Wednesday.
On a seaming track with bounce, Laxman came up with a match-winning 96 in the Indian second innings.
“Every batsman apart from Laxman struggled on this pitch. Making runs was hard. Laxman's knock displayed his temperament and that special ability to clinch matches. Some of his strokes were awesome.”
Laxman's gem at Kingsmead follows his match-winning second innings efforts of 103 not out (against Sri Lanka in Colombo), 71 not out (against Australia at Mohali) and a match-saving 91 (against New Zealand at Ahmedabad) this season.
The elegant right-hander's runs came when the side needed them in the cauldron, when probing questions were asked of a batsman's heart and technique. Crucially, Laxman comprehends well the flow of a game.
There was appreciable turn for the Sri Lankan spinners in the third Test at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium but Laxman, overcoming back spasms, conjured a classic on the chase. Then, the smooth-stroking right-hander, soaking in all the pressure, guided India home in a humdinger against Australia at Mohali. Kiwi paceman Chris Martin had India reeling at 15 for five at Ahmedabad when Laxman scripted another fight back.
Srikkanth said, “He seems to relish these adverse situations. Laxman has bailed India out time after time. He has such a calm mind and bats so well with the tail.”
Importantly, Laxman has made 3072 runs at a tremendous average of 51.20 in the second innings in Test match cricket. He has often excelled, with great hands and timing, even as the track deteriorated.
However, Srikkanth felt Laxman had not received the credit he deserved. “He has played over 100 Tests for India, made over 7000 runs, scored vital runs in all conditions yet somehow has not got the attention he merited from the media. Again like Viswanath, he is a simple person who does not crave for publicity.”
Indeed, Laxman has 7856 runs in 119 Tests at 47.32. In fact, the quality of his batting transcends numbers.
Srikkanth had words of appreciation for paceman Zaheer Khan as well. “Zaheer was back from injury in Durban and made a big difference to the attack as the spearhead. The other bowlers too contributed. It was a team effort.”
The selection panel chief was appreciative of the Indian team's fighting qualities. “Time after time, this side has bounced back from trying situations. The victory at Durban shows why India is the No. 1 Test team in the world.”
