Cricinfo - Players and Officials

India players and officials - select an initial letter:
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - Y - Z

Full name Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman
Born November 1, 1974, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Current age 33 years 251 days
Major teams India, Deccan Chargers, Hyderabad (India)
Nickname Very Very Special
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak
Education Little Flower High School, St. John's School

Batting and fielding averages

Mat

Inns

Runs

Ave

100

Tests

152

5785

281

43.82

11763

49.17

794

ODIs

2338

131

30.76

3282

71.23

222

First-class

206

334

15235

353

51.29

218

List A

167

161

4944

131

34.57

Twenty20

155

31.00

132

117.42

Bowling averages

Mat

Inns

Balls

Runs

Wkts

BBI

BBM

Ave

Econ

Tests

324

126

1/2

63.00

2.33

162.0

ODIs

5.71

First-class

206

1751

728

3/11

34.66

2.49

83.3

List A

167

698

548

2/42

68.50

4.71

87.2

Twenty20

Career statistics

Test debut

India v South Africa at Ahmedabad, Nov 20-23, 1996 scorecard

Last Test

India v South Africa at Kanpur, Apr 11-13, 2008 scorecard

Test statistics

ODI debut

India v Zimbabwe at Cuttack, Apr 9, 1998 scorecard

Last ODI

South Africa v India at Centurion, Dec 3, 2006 scorecard

ODI statistics

First-class debut

1992/93

Last First-class

India v South Africa at Kanpur, Apr 11-13, 2008 scorecard

List A debut

1994/95

Last List A

East Zone v South Zone at Hyderabad (Decc), Mar 14, 2008 scorecard

Twenty20 debut

Kolkata Knight Riders v Deccan Chargers at Kolkata, Apr 20, 2008 scorecard

Last Twenty20

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers at Bangalore, May 3, 2008 scorecard

At his sublime best, VVS Laxman is a sight for the gods. Wristy, willowy and sinuous, he can match - sometimes even better - Tendulkar for strokeplay. His on-side game is comparable to his idol Azharuddin's, and yet he is decidedly more assured on the off side, and has the rare gift of being able to hit the same ball to either side. The Australians, who have suffered more than most, paid the highest compliment after India's 2003-04 tour Down Under by admitting they did not know where to bowl to him. Laxman, a one-time medical student, finally showed signs of coming to terms with his considerable gifts in March 2001, as he tormented Steve Waugh's thought-to-be-invincible Australians with a majestic 281 to stand the Kolkata Test on its head. But even though he had another wonderful series against the Australians in 2003-04 with two centuries, one of them involving back-from-the-dead, match-winning, 300-plus partnership with Kolkata ally Rahul Dravid at Adelaide, he hasn't quite managed the consistency that could have turned him into a batting great. Between dazzling and sometimes workmanlike hundreds, he has suffered frustrations of numerous twenties and thirties, and has struggled to hold his place in the one-day side. He has never made a secret of his acute disappointment at missing out on the World Cup in 2003, but has now reconciled to his confinement to the five-day arena, where he is no longer an automatic choice when India decide to play five batsmen. A match-saving century at St Kitts, his tenth, should help though.
Sambit Bal July 2006

Jun 30, 2008

VVS Laxman lines up to face a delivery © AFP

Apr 12, 2008

VVS Laxman looks back to see the stumps disturbed © AFP

Apr 12, 2008

VVS Laxman cuts during his fighting innings © AFP

View the full list of 386 related images