Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman is pretty happy to have played in 100 Tests. But he doesn’t believe in numbers. “My philosophy is pretty simple: play as long as possible and keep performing consistently,” he says in an interview with V. V. Subrahmanyam.
Resilience is his forteIn 1996, when V. V. S. Laxman walked past non-striker and former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin to make his Test debut in the series against South Africa, he might not have dreamt that one day he would surpass the record of Azharuddin for most Test appearances by a Hyderabadi (Azhar played in 99 Tests).
In his 100th Test, against Australia in New Delhi recently, Laxman scored a brilliant double century. In an exclusive chat with Sportstar, the stylish batsman talks of his hunger for runs and the desire to keep playing at the highest level.
The excerpts:Question: Looking back, what do you think was the defining moment of your career which made you believe that you can make it big in cricket?
Answer: The under-19 series against Australia whose bowling attack was the toughest I had faced at that level. The attack included the likes of Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie. More than the runs, the manner in which I scored them gave me the confidence to really look far beyond. I was the highest run-getter in that series. It made me believe that I had the talent and potential to play for my country.
What were the hurdles you had faced early in your career?
There were many hurdles. The first one was, having to choose between medicine and cricket. Both my parents are doctors and there was a lot of emphasis on academics. It was my uncle (Baba Krishna Mohan) who influenced me into taking up cricket. He was the one who convinced my parents about my talent, and I was lucky that my parents gave me the freedom to play cricket. Also friends of my parents used to comment sarcastically about me being allowed to play cricket. That made me determined to focus totally on cricket and achieve my dream of playing for the country.
Given this background, what really made you choose cricket?
From the age of 15, I represented Hyderabad in various age-group tournaments and performed excellently. And by the time I was 17, I was on the verge of playing for the State. After talking to my coaches, senior players of the Hyderabad team, my uncle and parents, I decided to give myself five years to continue playing cricket and fulfil my ambition of representing the country.
When you went out to bat in your debut Test, Azharuddin was at the non-striker’s end. And by coincidence, you beat his record of most Test appearances by a Hyderabad player. What sort of influence did he have on your game?
I met Azharuddin when I was 16 and he was India captain then. There was that tremendous zeal to emulate him. It was great to make my Test debut when he was around.
Was it difficult to steer clear of the inevitable comparisons with Azhar as your career progressed?
People continue to compare me with Azhar, especially his on-side stroke-play. But I do believe that we are different players. There might be some resemblance but the styles are different. He used to share his experiences with me, but we very rarely talked about the technical aspects of the game.
When you made your Test debut did you ever think you would play 100 Tests? And what exactly were your goals then?
No doubt, I can look back at this with a great sense of achievement. I don’t believe in numbers. My philosophy is pretty simple: play as long as possible and keep performing consistently. It was more out of passion than anything else that I achieved this milestone.
I would also like to remind that since I could not fulfil my other big passion — to become a doctor — I was fully focused on cricket. And I always wanted to play for the country for a long time. I am glad that I have been able to do that.
It has been a long and eventful journey in the world of cricket for you. Even now there is a feeling that you are always on trial. How difficult is it for you to overcome these tough phases?
The first four years of my international cricket, when I was constantly in and out of the Indian team, were the most difficult times for me. In a way, those years also taught me how to handle things under pressure. Since 2000, I am happy the way I have been handling such pressures. That was when I decided not to worry about things that I have no control of. My motto has been to keep improving and play consistently well. Definitely, it was a very difficult phase for me, for I was always made to feel insecure. But now when I look back, I am proud that I came out of that phase successfully. That was the time when my family, coaches and friends stood by me. Their balance of thought helped me a lot. Had their thoughts also fluctuated, then probably I would have undergone a much more harrowing time.
How did the late M. L. Jaisimha help in shaping up your career?
Jai uncle had great knowledge of cricket and when he took over as the coach of the Hyderabad Ranji team we used to have long discussions on technical aspects of batting and invariably he used to come up with simple solutions for better results. He is someone who we all miss badly now.
What has been the most demanding of challenges being a member of the ‘Fab Four’ of Indian cricket?
Firstly, it was a great honour to play alongside those three great cricketers. We are really proud that we have taken Indian cricket to a different level. The expectations from the public were enormous and I believe you can’t fulfil everyone’s expectations. I have my own expectations and the team has its own expectations from me, I just try to fulfil both.
What makes you so successful against Australia?
I think the way the Aussies play the game. They are very aggressive and keep coming at you, leaving very little scope to breathe easy and these characteristics actually get the best out of me. I am pleased and satisfied with my success against the best side and the best bowling attack in the world.
Having achieved so much, do you still have any regrets?
As a cricketer you cannot be satisfied, otherwise you stop improving. I am quite happy the way my career has shaped up and the way I have handled various challenges.
Do you regret not having played in the World Cup?
Yes, definitely. I was very confident of making it to the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. And I tell you, it was a very tough time for me then, a rude shock. Definitely, not having played in the World Cup will haunt me throughout my life.
There was a time when you were regarded as captaincy material. Do you feel that you missed it somewhere down the line?
Well, leading the country would be the biggest honour for any player and I am no exception. I have had the opportunity of leading Hyderabad, South Zone and India ‘A’. And I think I have done a decent job.
At 34, having played in 100 Tests and 89 ODIs in the last 12 years, what is it that you are still chasing at the highest level of the sport?
Consistency in tough situations. We all want India to be the No. 1 Test team in the world and I want to contribute in realising that goal. There is no other thought than continuing to serve Indian cricket for some more years.
What’s your take on domestic cricket?I feel that all the big stars must play in first-class games. We all grew up watching and playing along with some of the seniors like Azhar, Arshad (Ayub) bhai and (Venkatapathy) Raju in the Ranji Trophy. The youngsters are bound to pick up some invaluable tips by watching the India stars. I would like to recall that those nine Ranji hundreds I scored actually made me believe that I can score against Australia in the 2001 Kolkata Test. I scored 281 in the Test as I had already faced similar situations for Hyderabad and had bailed out the team. So, my confidence before that knock was very high.
The big guns of Indian cricket like Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly have retired. Your comments?
They are great cricketers. We will definitely miss their presence in the dressing room. Kumble and Sourav have been exceptional players who gave a new definition to success under trying circumstances.
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