Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman

Laxman has a lazy elegance to his batting that elicits comparisons with his idol, Azharuddin.

Date of Birth: 20 1 November 1974, Hyderabad  Test Debut: Against South Africa at Ahmedabad in 1996/97  ODI Debut: Against Zimbabwe at Cuttack in 1997/98  Bats: Right Hand Bat  Bowls: Right Arm Off Break

Unfortunately for VVS Laxman, one day he happened to play the innings of his life in Eden Gardens, making 281 against Australia.

From then on, anything he did would be compared with that double century, and whenever he walks out to bat, people expect something special.

Laxman has a lazy elegance to his batting that elicits comparisons with his idol, Azharuddin. However, his lack of footwork has sometimes got him into trouble.

It might be fair to sum him up as a slightly more impatient version of Dravid. He would be worth his weight in gold in any cricket side, provided he decides to turn up in the right frame of mind!

Laxman made a mark, yet again in his career, by building a match-winning partnership, chipping in 148 runs from his end, with Rahul Dravid during the tour Down Under in 2003/04 and followed it up with a match-winning knock of 107 in the 5th one-day international in Lahore in the historic tour of Pakistan in 2004.

Strengths: Difficult to dislodge from the wicket once settled

Weaknesses: Moody

What others say: Laxman is one of those rare players who “makes batting look easy.” That puts him in an elite class with South Africa’s Barry Richards, England’s David

Gower, Australia’s Mark Waugh and very few others who not only make it look simple but also combine ease with elegance, said Ian Chappell.