Vengapurupu Venkat Sai Laxman? The name that might still be creating ripples in the minds of the Aussies. The classy batsmen from Hydrabad has mesmerized many a oppositions with his match winning or saving innings. Lets get a little inside of what this lanky chap, who has idolized himself on Mhd. Azaruddin, has done for Indian cricket.
VVS Laxman made his debut in the 1996/97 season at the age of 22 yrs. Till date here are his statistics playing for the Indian Cricket Team.
Mat Runs HS BatAv 100 50 W BB BowlAv 5w Ct St
63 3877 281 42.60 7 21 1 1/32 100.00 0 71 0
Now if we see the same statistics season by season then this is what we get:
Mat Runs HS BatAv 100 50 W BB BowlAv 5w Ct St
season 1996/97 8 289 64 26.27 0 3 0 - - 0 5 0
season 1997/98 2 116 95 38.66 0 1 0 - - 0 4 0
season 1998/99 4 174 67 21.75 0 1 0 - - 0 8 0
season 1999/00 4 237 167 29.62 1 0 0 - - 0 5 0
season 2000/01 4 521 281 86.83 1 3 0 - - 0 4 0
season 2001 2 101 38 25.25 0 0 - - - - 4 0
season 2001/02 11 752 130 57.84 1 6 1 1/32 32.0 0 16 0
season 2002 4 199 74 39.80 0 1 - - - - 3 0
season 2002/03 5 298 154* 42.57 1 0 - - - - 2 0
season 2003/04 9 897 178 74.75 3 4 - - - - 10 0
season 2004/05 10 293 69 20.92 0 2 - - - - 10 0
The statistics above in bold are the seasons in which he has performed over his potential, as suggested by his career average.
Now coming to my question to the BCCI?s selection panel and to the current Indian Captain who seems to persist with the so-called Classy player.
Indeed Laxman is a class act. No denying that. But is a player, who has played 11 seasons of International test cricket, good enough to play in the Indian Cricket team after failing in 5 seasons and playing below his average in 7.
The average in the other 4 seasons is indeed the reason for a good career average for this guy, but am still not able to understand his selection in the team as a front line batsman. Many Laxman fans claim that he is one of the safest pair of hands in the slips, but then so is Dravid and Shewag. Neither is he a good enough fielder to stand in competition with the likes of Yuvraj or Kaif.
Indeed, Yuvraj has got his chances, but let me remind you that if any of the 2 mentioned as potential test batsmen at Laxman?s place will be given chances from their early part of the career, they will definitely justify there selection in the Team. I don?t see many of you disagreeing with me here.
I, myself am a fan of V. V. S. Laxman, but he is a real waste in the current Indian Team. Instead I would like to see either Kaif or Yuvraj bat at his place. Let me remind you that most of the times Laxman plays a good knock that is always at the fag end of the series. There by assuring him his selection for the next series.
Now check the following analysis:
Mat Runs HS BatAv 100 50
v/s Australia 16 1457 281 52.03 4 6 Fabulous
v/s Bangladesh 2 41 32 20.50 0 0
v/s England 7 314 75 39.25 0 2
v/s New Zealand 4 306 104* 51.00 1 2 Good Hard work
v/s Pakistan 8 344 71 26.46 0 3 get lost mate
v/s South Africa 9 330 89 27.50 0 2 were you sleeping on the pitch
v/s Sri Lanka 1 36 25 18.00 0 0
v/s West Indies 12 917 154* 61.13 2 6
v/s Zimbabwe 4 132 38 26.40 0 0 shameful
Lets take a look at this man against the mighty Aussies. Against them, this guy averages 52.03. In this he has got out only in 28 inngs. Again if you remove his one inngs of 281, he comes back to 42.3, which is his normal average.
Getting back to the previous table, at the age of 30 where most of the batsmen are at the HELM of their career, Laxman just averages 20+ in that season.
If the BCCI is listening, isn?t it time that we get some young legs on the field. I admire the selection of Gautam Ghambir to partner Shewag. These two are slowly but surely forming a pair where one rotates the strike and the other gets the boundaries.
Mind you, Ghambir (going by his domestic rec.) is a very attacking batsman in his own. Can?t we get Kaif in at Laxman?s place as he can any time rotate the strike with the upper order batsman and hit the boundaries when with the Tail Enders? One thing, which he has proved in the one dayers.
I very honestly believe that for the Future of Indian Test Cricket, we have to give Yuvraj or Kaif a longer look in, as we will end up losing the likes of Sachin, Rahul, and Ganguly in a very short time as all the 3 are in the same age group. Is anyone from the Indian Selection Panel listening to this.
