This is Part 9 of Legends of Indian Cricket, our 20-part series on the players who shaped the game in India. New here? Start with Part 1: Vinoo Mankad, or read the previous part, Part 8: Sourav Ganguly.
Some batters are remembered for their numbers. VVS Laxman, born in Hyderabad in 1974, is remembered for moments. With silky wrists and calm nerves, he played some of the most important innings in Indian Test history, so often that fans said VVS stood for "Very Very Special".
The 281
In March 2001, Australia had won 16 Tests in a row. In Kolkata, they made India follow on, 274 runs behind. Laxman, batting at number three, scored 281, then the highest Test score by an Indian, and added 376 with Rahul Dravid. India won by 171 runs, and went on to win the series. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest Test innings ever played by an Indian.
Australia's nemesis
- He scored six of his 17 Test centuries against Australia.
- In Mohali in 2010, batting with a back injury and a runner, he guided India to a one-wicket win with 73 not out alongside the tail.
- His 167 at Sydney in 2000 was a rare bright spot on a hard tour.
Career in numbers
- 134 Tests, 8,781 runs and 17 centuries.
- 86 ODIs and 2,338 runs.
- Surprisingly, he never played in a World Cup.
After playing
Laxman became a commentator, an IPL mentor, and from 2021 head of the National Cricket Academy (now the BCCI Centre of Excellence) in Bengaluru, where he works with India's next generation. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2011.
Legacy
Laxman showed that elegance and steel can go together. Every great Indian rescue act since owes something to Kolkata 2001.
Statistics are for international cricket and are correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026; figures for active players will change.
Next in the series: Part 10: Virender Sehwag.
