VVS Laxman Profile

VVS Laxman 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, 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 a 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 the frustration of numerous twenties and thirties and has lost his place in the one-day side.

Nothing, though, has deterred him from tormenting his favourite opponents with silken strokes and piles of runs: in the course of the double-hundred at Feroz Shah Kotla in 2008, he became the second Indian batsman after Tendulkar to score more than 2000 runs against the Australians. A couple of years later, batting with a runner due to back spasms, he conjured up a magical unbeaten 73 in a thrilling run-chase in Mohali.

Full name Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman

Born November 1, 1974, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Current age 36 years 20 days

Major teams India, Deccan Chargers, Hyderabad (India), Lancashire

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     NO     Runs     HS     Ave     BF     SR     100     50     4s     6s     Ct     St
Tests     116     191     30     7695     281     47.79     15624     49.25     16     48     1012     4     122     0
ODIs     86     83     7     2338     131     30.76     3282     71.23     6     10     222     4     39     0
First-class     247     399     50     18434     353     52.81             53     89             264     1
List A     173     166     19     5078     131     34.54             9     28             74     0
Twenty20     22     22     3     447     78*     23.52     386     115.80     0     3     54     6     4     0

Bowling averages

    Mat     Inns     Balls     Runs     Wkts     BBI     BBM     Ave     Econ     SR     4w     5w     10
Tests     116     13     324     126     2     1/2     1/2     63.00     2.33     162.0     0     0     0
ODIs     86     4     42     40     0     -     -     -     5.71     -     0     0     0
First-class     247         1835     754     22     3/11         34.27     2.46     83.4         0     0
List A     173         698     548     8     2/42     2/42     68.50     4.71     87.2     0     0     0
Twenty20     22     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -

Career statistics

Test debut     India v South Africa at Ahmedabad, Nov 20-23, 1996
Last Test     India v New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan), Nov 12-16, 2010

ODI debut     India v Zimbabwe at Cuttack, Apr 9, 1998
Last ODI     South Africa v India at Centurion, Dec 3, 2006

First-class debut     1992/93
Last First-class     India v New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan), Nov 12-16, 2010
List A debut     1994/95
Last List A     Glamorgan v Lancashire at Cardiff, Sep 14, 2009
Twenty20 debut     Kolkata Knight Riders v Deccan Chargers at Kolkata, Apr 20, 2008
Last Twenty20     Deccan Chargers v Rajasthan Royals at Nagpur, Apr 5, 2010