If you see a batsman driving a ball out side the off stump towards deep mid wicket to a boundary, rest assured you are watching Laxman. He is simply a pleasure to watch. He is effortless and pure timer of the ball.
When he started, many of us wondered if he is cut out for international cricket. There was even a sarcastic rumor that Steve Waugh gifted Laxman a century in the final test in Australia. Reason was, Indian team management cannot ignore Laxman and that Australia can easily get him out in One Day Matches. Steve Waugh was almost proved right.
Two years after that forgetful Australian tour, Laxman fought back and fought back in style. The 281 against Australia at Kolkatta was amazing, unbelievable and unforgettable. After that historic tour, he again was off colour, in and out of One Day side, but was more or less settled in Test team. During this period, I thought he was getting starts, but was looking casual especially when he was out. This is certainly a problem with the most gifted players. When they hit boundaries, they look very very special and a treat to watch and when they get out, they look very very casual. Prime examples in today’s cricket are Shewag, Youvraj, Sourav, Jayawardane, Steven Fleming etc.
I personally thought, Laxman should have been in the World Cup team. Atleast, he deserved a place in 16. in the hindsight, I strongly believe that his exclusion worked very well for him. He worked hard on his concentration and shot selection. The result is the great tour of Australia where he almost recreated the historic innings along with Dravid and string of centuries in One Day competition. If we observe, his batting has not changed much apart from carefully shot selection. What a great irony that a century Steve Waugh supposed to have gifted created an excellent batsman and stood between him and the FINAL FRONTIER. What more, he even made Steve Waugh’s last series almost an embaressment for Australia. Finally, Laxman century in the 5th ODI in Pakistan proves that he started relishing One Day Cricket and can be an equally dangerous batsman and a Match Winner in either form of the game.
Yes, it is indeed a great pleasure watch this very very special batsman in action.