Laxman: stranded at the crossroads

One of the most conspicuous omissions in the list of probables for the Asia Cup camp has been Vangipurappu Venkatasai Laxman. It pains the heart to find that even after such a phenomenal season with the bat he finds himself missing the bus to Pune. Can this be attributed to the fact that the selectors feel that he is more adapted to the longer version of the game?

Much in the same vein as Laxman, Hemang Badani, one of the new entrants into the Indian camp, has been scoring tons of runs in the domestic season. Badani in his 10 Ranji Trophy matches amassed 762 runs. He even came in for high praise from Tendulkar after his 162 against Mumbai during the semi finals. Both Laxman and Badani have been measured on the same yard stick. What has been Badani's plus has been the right opposite for Laxman. Both have scored heavily in the longer version of the game and when one is selected the other is not.

But the fact of the matter is that Laxman is now finding himself in the cross roads with respect to his cricketing career. Only of late he seems to have realised his potential and has been making the most while the sun is still shining.

With respect to his international career, he had failed to capitalise on all those chances that came by. The Hyderabadi middle order bat has been in and out of the national squad from the time he made his debut against South Africa in the 1996-97 season as an opener.

Laxman seems to feel at home in the middle order than opening the innings as he even indicated after the Ranji final at Mumbai. He said "I feel more comfortable as a middle order batsman. I had never batted as an opener in my career before. I agreed to open earlier as it was a job given to me." Unwillingly or not he has not been a revelation so to say in that spot.

Laxman's track record this season in the middle order has been nothing short of fairy tale stuff. He became the highest rungetter in a Ranji season this year eclipsing the record set by Vijay Bharadwaj the year before. It all started with that once in a lifetime innings of 167 that he played at Sydney during the third and final test against Australia in January. On his return, one saw him change gears and he plundered in all eight centuries including a mammoth 353 against Karnataka. He also became the only Indian to score two triple centuries in the Ranji trophy.

Accepted that he is good enough for the four day and plus games but one has to realise that even if one is a opener or a middle order bat, whether playing a Test or a one day, a batsman's calibre is judged with his penchant for adaptability to the demands of the situation. Laxman being a natural strokemaker, is equipped with the necessary technique and confidence to be playing along side the best in the world. But it is not enough to possess mere skill. It is time that he understood that. More so since Laxman now seems to be really caught in the middle of nowhere as far as drafting himself back into the Indian team is concerned. The onus is on himself to recreate or destroy his career.