The Very Very Special Laxman

Full name Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman
Born November 1, 1974, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Current age 33 years 307 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
Test debut India v South Africa at Ahmedabad, Nov 20-23, 1996
Last Test Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (PSS), Aug 8-11, 2008
ODI debut India v Zimbabwe at Cuttack, Apr 9, 1998
Last ODI South Africa v India at Centurion, Dec 3, 2006


Profile

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.