My only aim was to get runs for the team: VVS Laxman – Cricket News Update
Former Indian batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772, who recently called time on his career, disagreed with the claim that he was more of an artist than a batsman, saying his primary aim while batting had been to get runs for the team, while he considered style a secondary
concern.
“I've always considered myself as a batsman who has to get runs for the country ... My role was to get the runs and take the catches that came my way,” Laxman said while speaking to official website of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“It doesn't matter what kind of shots you play to get those runs and whether it is pleasing to the eye. All that is the by-product of what you're trying to achieve for the team,” he added. “I thank the Almighty for the talent to please the eyes of those
who watch me bat. But my only aim when I went out to bat was to get runs for the team.”
Laxman, part of what had been a dominant Indian batting trio (comprising Laxman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Tendulkar-c2556), retired from all forms of international cricket on August 18 this year, despite having been included in the squad for the 2-match Test series
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754.
The 37-year-old had fallen into a batting slump which saw him registering disappointing performances during India’s 0-4 defeat in the Pataudi Trophy against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 in July/August last year, and he followed it up with a poorer outing their second 0-4 Test
defeat in a row, this time at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in December 2011/January 2012.
However, prior to the batting slump, Laxman’s batting style had been described frequently as pure art. After having made his debut for India in November 1996, he went on to play a slew of classy innings, gaining a reputation as a second-innings hero for
the team, after having rescued the Men in Blue from several tough spots in extended-overs matches.
He played a total of 134 Test matches for the team, scoring a total of 8781 runs at 45.97. These included several classic outings against Australia, such as a 167 in Sydney during 2000, and a massive 281 in 2001 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
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