Ritesh Misra, Surat, 11 January 2023
In our Icons series we have discussed legends like Vinoo Mankad, Bishan Singh Bedi, GS Ramchand, Chetan Chouhan and Mohinder Amarnath, to name a few. Today let us discuss someone who is much younger and a legend in his own right at such a young age. I am speaking about VVS Laxman, fondly called as Very Very Special Laxman, who had a fantastic career, and is now honing the talents of the supply chain at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bangalore to ensure that the Indian team will continue to have excellent cricketers.
Let us reminisce about some special moments of the career of this very special player, an Icon of India.
I travel back in memory to the years 2000-2002, Hotel Pride, Nagpur. As an IRS probationer in NADT, Nagpur, I with my good friend and service senior, Sobhan Kar (Chairman of Sarat Kar and Anima Kar Foundation, and a former Commissioner, Income-tax) had gone a couple of times to meet our good friends, test cricketers SS Das and Debasish Mohanty. Somehow those days a lot of matches were held at Nagpur, maybe because Shashank Manohar was emerging as a BCCI top gun. I remember some visits alone as well, since Sobhan being a year senior and having “graduated” from NADT had gone to join his new assignment as an IRS officer in Delhi where he served in several challenging and interesting assignments. On one such visit, SS Das and Debasish Mohanty were in the India A team led by VVS Laxman against the visiting Australians. Coach Madan Lal called both of them to give them some inputs and so for some time I was in their room alone. VVS Laxman came to their room and was surprised to see a stranger there, that too alone!
VVS had come to give current National Selector SS Das an “ice bag”, something I saw for the first time. I blurted out, “Hey, whats that?” and with a disarming smile the skipper said ”It is a cold therapy aid, very helpful for professional sportsmen”. VVS stayed on for some time and we chatted quite a bit. I realised that he was someone rare – a very nice humble person, despite being an international sportsperson with so many achievements.
Fast forward to 2018. Sourav Ganguly was launching his book and was in conversation with Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and Boria Majumdar. Inevitably, the waving of the shirt by Dada was raised as a discussion point and Dada said something interesting that Bhajji asked him – “Dada, shall i do the same?” and someone else was tugging at the tee-shirt trying to prevent him from taking it off!
It was VVS Laxman, whom Dada described during that event as the finest person one can ever know. He said that for others there could be some negative attributes, but for VVS there was none and he was, apart from being a fabulous cricketer, a genuinely nice human being.
Let us reminisce about the top 5 high points of his sterling career:
Eden Gardens Test, 2001 – Australia had won 16 Tests in a row and after India followed on, it seemed a 17th win in a row was coming up. VVS hit 281 and had a 380 run partnership with Dravid who scored 180. Bhajji struck with the ball and against all odds, India won the Test!
Adelaide and Sydney Tests, 2004 – This was the series where he was described as Very Very Special Laxman by Ian Chappell. At Adelaide, India won by 4 wickets with contribution of VVS being 148. He also had a 178 at Sydney. Australia is a tough opposition, even more so at home, and VVS had almost 500 runs (494) at an astounding average of 82!
Johannesburg Test, 2006 – Sreesanth’s 5/40 skittled South Africa out for 84 but the need of the hour was giving them a tough 4th innings target. India were 61/4, then 148/7 but VVS came up with a splendid 73 and with Zaheer’s 37 took India to 236, setting South Africa a target of 402 runs. India won by 123 runs as South Africa scored only 278. Who knows, a target of less than 300 may have cost India the test.
Mohali Test, 2010 – VVS conjured a win from nowhere! It was essentially a 2nd innings Test match since Australia scored 428 and India scored 405. Australia were bowled out for 192 setting India a win target of 216 runs. It seemed all over as India were 124/8. However VVS had a 81 run partnership with Harbhajan to take India to 205/9. Pragyan Ojha joined VVS and the duo took India to its first ever 1 wicket win in Test cricket! The brilliant 73 not out of VVS was worth more than most centuries of worthy others in less demanding circumstances.
Durban Test, 2010 – This too was similar to Johannesburg 2006. India scored 205 with VVS top-scoring with 38. South Africa were bundled out for 131 with Harbhajan and Zaheer sharing 7 wickets. As at Johannesburg, the need was setting a big target. India was 46/4 and 93/5 but an amazing 96 by Laxman took India to 228, setting South Africa a win target of 303 runs. Zaheer and Sreesanth took 3 wickets each to restrict South Africa to just 215, handing India a 87 run win. As at Johannesburg, the extra runs helped the team and possibly was the difference between a great win and narrow loss.
Recently VVS was the coach of the Indian cricket team led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, which won the Asian Games Gold medal. It is quite likely that he may succeed Rahul Dravid as the coach of the Indian team. Their partnership at Eden gave us one of our most famous and epic wins, and now as coach they may give us many more moments of joy with their wards.
VVS, You are an inspirational Icon of India!!
