High-pressure situations brought out the best in me: VVS Laxman – Cricket News Update
Reflecting on his career, recently retired Indian batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 observed that he had thrived in situations where the team was struggling under pressure, a quality which he claimed had been his biggest strength.
“I used to love playing under tough situations when the team was under pressure. Adversities brought out the best in me. I guess it came from having to be the main batsman for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hyderabad-c792 since a young age”, he said.
Laxman started playing first-class cricket in the domestic circuit as a teenager, but went on to make his debut for the national side in November 1996, during a Test match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 at Ahmedabad. Since then he has gone on to play a total of 134
Tests for India (with 8781 runs to his credit, including 17 centuries and 56 half-tons), and formed part of a dominant batting trio for the Men in Blue, alongside http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Tendulkar-c2556.
In addition to remaining a fearsome opponent for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 – then considered the best side in the world – Laxman was also renowned for his grace under pressure, and for coming through for the team when it mattered the most.
The second Test of the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in March at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata saw Laxman guiding the team through to a massive 171-run victory, following up http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750’s insipid first innings with a spectacular second innings’ score of 281. The
victory brought an end to Australia's winning streak which had lasted 16 consecutive matches.
Another instance of grace under pressure occurred during the first Test of the 2010 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Mohali during October. Chasing 216, India had lost the top-order and were at 76 for 5 when Laxman stepped up to
the crease. Batting with a runner owing to back spasms, the 37-year-old led the team safely through, scoring an unbeaten 73 to claim a narrow 1-wicket win for the team.
“I was used to taking up more responsibility when the team was struggling,” Laxman observed, post-retirement. “More than the technique and the skill-set, I think the ability to come good in pressure situations was my biggest strength as a batsman.”
However, the lack of consistency took its toll on his career, and following a slew of disastrous performances against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c749 and Australia, the right-hander decided to call it quits on August 18 this year, despite having been selected for India’s recently
concluded Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754. He has since then expressed his desire to return to playing domestic cricket for Hyderabad.
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