VVS Laxman, also known as Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman, is a former Indian cricketer who was born in the city of Hyderabad on November 1, 1974.
He was a right-handed batsman who was also among the best. He was also a right-handed off-break bowler on the side. For his surname VVS Laxman, he was also regarded as Very Very Rare Laxman.
Debut
VVS made his Test debut for India against South Africa in Ahmedabad in 1996, and he played well, scoring fifty in the second inning.
However, due to the presence of heavy-named players in the middle order of the roster, he was unable to find a comfortable spot. He was in and out of the national team, and he returned to domestic cricket to retake his place.
Rise to glory
In the 1999-2000 Ranji Trophy season, he scored a whopping 1415 runs with eight centuries in just nine games, setting a new record. With a series against Australia, he made his return to the Indian side.
He scored 281 runs in the second match of the series, including a record-breaking 376-run partnership with Rahul Dravid. This was the turning point of his career, and he went on to become one of India’s finest and most important batsmen.
Club career
He captained the Deccan Chargers team in the first two editions of the IPL, but was dropped in the second season due to the team’s bad form.
He was acquired by Kochi Tuskers Kerala for the 2011 edition, but he was injured early in the season and was ruled out.
He was named as the Sunrisers Hyderabad side’s mentor from then on, and he is still a member of the team.
Records
His 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001 is considered the best Test innings in the last 50 years. He also holds the record for the highest third-inning partnership (376 runs) in a test match, which he shares with Rahul Dravid.
In 2001, he received the Arjuna Award for his outstanding cricketing performance. In 2002, he was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year. Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, was conferred upon him in 2011.
Retirement is a time where you can relax
VVS Laxman retired from international cricket on August 18, 2012, after series losses in England and Australia in 2011, as well as bad results and calls from the public and newspapers.
He, like other former players, transitioned to commentary in 2016, and has been a regular member of the Hindi commentary panel since then.
Background
In 1994, Laxman made his India U-19 team debut against Australia. He performed well against a bowling attack that featured Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie, all of whom were making their debuts.
He had a successful domestic career with Hyderabad. He made his debut against Punjab but was bowled out for a duck. Following impressive results in Under-19 cricket, he returned to the Ranji Trophy for the 1994-95 season, scoring 532 runs in just five games, paving the way for his international debut.