===================================================================
PLEASE send your comments to 'thanks2cricket@gmail.com'. If someone knows VVS laxman's e-mail id, please pass it on to him or his relatives. If someone knows SACHIN's e-mail id OR BCCI selectors e-maid id, PLEASE pass this article to them. You will be doing INDIAN Cricket a big favour.
===================================================================
For the record, I'm an Indian.
The reasons why VVS should be selected for World cup 2007 are given below :
(1.) Lets start with the most recent match -- 2nd & 3rd ODI's against WI.
In the second ODI -- If not for the heroics of Karthik & Agarkar , India would have been bowled out for less than 189. Frankly, I did not see the match, but think for a second --- 189???? That to me is pathetic batting display by the top order.
If India would have lost this match, the talk would have again started how inconsistent our TOP order batting is. And some great cricketer/writer would have definitely recommended VVS in the top order, as has been done by many great cricketers of all time in the past. I will provide the list of great cricketers/writers , who have recommended VVS.
In the third ODI -- only India can collapse like that -- Everybody wants to hit a 4 or 6. Then who is going to stay there & play like Rahul Dravid??? Answer -- only VVS can do this. And what a shame, Dravid says -- I should have stayed on , C'mon Dravid in retrospect everybody can say I should not have played that shot.
(2.) Let me again refresh your memory. India lost last 2 ODI series -- actually India got thrashed. By WI (who were then ranked next to Zimbabwe) & South Africa. What a shame. And the batting order included the same players who are now again being considered for Worldcup. In both the ODI series --- VVS was not there. Well he played the last match against SA, but to be fair you can say it was just asking too much to pick a player & send him as replacement to SA before 1 day of the last ODI. Remember the pitches there need totally different game plan & preparation by a batsman. VVS did very well in Test matches after he settled in SA & infact we won the 4-day match (where he captained) just before the Test match series started. Link FYI is given below
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/rsavind/engine/match/249209.html
VVS was praised for his Captaincy & he did pretty ok with batting as he faced lot of balls to get used to conditions. Later this batting practice of VVS helped him to play a very crucial role in the historic win in the first test match against SA.
(3.) VVS Laxman is a player like Rahul Dravid. He has better cricketing shots than any player in Indian team. He can occupy the crease for 20-30 overs & make runs at a strike rate of more than 85% percent.
Before you start questioning that strike rate let me give you the stats of Strike rate where he scored more than 10 runs in the last ten & more ODI's. I have given Ganguly's performance in those matches FYI..
(4.) My take on why India has been loosing ODI matches lately is --- there is no player in our team other than Rahul Dravid who can stay the course & play a responsible innings for more than 20-30 overs. After Dravid only VVS can do this & so he deserves the place in the team.
So, when Dravid gets out early like in 2nd ODI against WI or like in 3rd ODI against WI where he doesn't stay the course, India is in trouble. When Dravid took over captaincy, India broke all time records for consecutive wins in ODI's..how could Indian cricket team do it??????? SIMPLE -- Dravid was the main contributor in most of those wins.
(5.) God Forbid --- What if top order batsman gets injured? then who is going to replace an experienced batsman like Sachin, Rahul & others ?????
(6.) For the record -- I need to mention --- some of you may be shocked but Rahul Dravid's run out record is as bad as VVS Laxman. Check out the stats & you will know. VVS, Dravid, Ganguly all fall in the same category.
Have you ever seen Rahul Dravid diving to save himself getting run out???? I have never seen in the last 5-8 years. He is Mr.Perfect & thinks his clothes will get spoiled :-)
(7.) What fitness are the selectors are talking about???? Without fitness how can a player play such a long innings in Test Cricket??? Regarding running between wickets see the above point.. VVS has the safest hands in Indian team & so dropping catches is almost out of question.
(8.) Read this excellent article from Sambit Bal from cricinfo
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/rsavind/content/story/270134.html
Some of the important lines from article:
- Raina is a promising batsman and electric in the field. Mohammad Kaif is a fighter, a team-man and brilliant in the inner circle. But on batting pedigree, they don't equal to half of Laxman.
- But too often in the recent past, VVS has batted like a man with his place on the line. Some of his doubts are perhaps self-inflicted. But to get the best out of him, he must be made to feel wanted and secure.
(9.) Give VVS a break selectors. He is always under pressure to score big in ODI's & even test matches or else his place is in IMMEDIATE threat. But players like Raina, Kaif, Yuvi got unlimited chances...Where is the fairness????
Cricket is a mind game -- if you always keep your top order batsman under pressure --- trust me it plays games on the MIND of the batsman & I personally feel it has more -ve impact than positive. It's a simple analysis and does not need a rocket scientist to figure that out.
(10.) Past all time great cricketers - have told numerous times to include VVS LAXMAN in ODI matches if India wants to become a force
Barry Richards
http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/22/stories/2006112212892200.htm
For me, the biggest error is not having V.V.S. Laxman in the side. True, he struggles on the field and is not as agile as he used to be a few years ago. However, he has a great record against good teams — his great knocks are against Australia and not against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe — and his success in Australia was proof that he would do well in South African conditions.
The think-tank might have been worried by the prospect of having to hide him on the field, but that is not a good enough reason to keep out a batsman of his class. I don't know if there are any behind-the-scenes reasons for Laxman's continued omission, because on cricketing merit I would pick him every time.
For the record -- VVS is the only INDIAN player to score 2 ODI centuries in the same series against Australia in Australia & that too at a very brisk strike rate of 80% & above. Why could not the greats like Sachin, Ganguly, Dravid, Yuvi, Shewag could perform this feat???
VVS 106 IN 130 BALLS, Ganguly 1 in 8 balls ---- DATE 22ND JAN' 2004
http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2003-04/OD_TOURNEYS/VBS/SCORECARDS/AUS_IND_VBS_ODI7_22JAN2004.html
VVS 103 IN 113 BALLS, Ganguly 18 in 24 balls ---- DATE 18TH JAN' 2004
http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2003-04/OD_TOURNEYS/VBS/SCORECARDS/AUS_IND_VBS_ODI5_18JAN2004.html
Michael Holding
http://in.rediff.com/cricket/2006/jun/28holding.htm
If India is keen to pick the hints from the drawn third Test against the West Indies, they need to keep V V S Laxman in the mix for the World Cup. I know his fielding and mobility does not meet everyone's approval but he is too good a batsman to be ignored.
-- Kapil Dev, Siddu, Amarnath
-- Ian Chappell
-- Any Australian Int'l cricketer ask Steve Waugh in particular (Gilchirst, Ponting)
In 2003-04 series in Australia, VVS single handily gave nightmares to Australia. Steve Waugh, even said that anybody who knows how to get VVS out, will be taken in to Australia team...
(11.) I'm a great Fan/believer of VVS and spent more than 2-3 hours on this article. I will be always a big fan of VVS. To me VVS is the ultimate batsman for India. To me he is the greatest batsman better than Sachin/Dravid.
Now, I'm not the only one who is recommending VVS. Past all time great cricketers/well respected writers are recommending him too.
(12.) If I was VVS Laxman & if I'm not selected for World cup --- I will stop playing all kind of cricket for India. Why should VVS care about providing his exceptional service to Indian Cricket when BCCI has dumped him ??? VVS was the top scorer/best average in 2003-04 in ODI's. I remember TimesofIndia writing a special article on VVS laxman on this -- and guess what, VVS was dumped in 2005. Only country like India can do this.
Again if I were VVS --- I will resign if not selected for WC, go to England play as long as I want, & then open a Training school (here in India/England) so that 'art of batting' can be passed on to next generation.
THANKS,
KUMAR (Although I live in USA, my heart is in India & with Cricket)
=================================================================== PLEASE send your comments to 'thanks2cricket@gmail.com'. If someone knows VVS laxman's e-mail id, please pass it on to him or his relatives. If someone knows SACHIN's e-mail id OR BCCI selectors e-maid id, PLEASE pass this article to them. You will be doing INDIAN Cricket a big favour.
===================================================================
For those people who believe in STATS more than the ability in a person :
Here are the last ten & more ODI's which provide the strike rate proof of VVS
- Against Srilanka (3 August 2005 )
VVS scored 22 of 43 balls.. wait don't jump the gun...Ganguly scored 51 out of 110 balls
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/IND_SL_IOC_ODI4_03AUG2005.html
- Against Pakistan (13 November 2004) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
VVS scored 43 out of 44 balls. Ganguly scored 48 out of 70 balls
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004-05/OD_TOURNEYS/PLATINUM/SCORECARDS/IND_PAK_PLATINUM_ODI_13NOV2004.html
- Against Kenya (11 September 2004) at The Rose Bowl, Southampton
VVS scored 79 out of 99 balls. Ganguly scored 90 out of 124 balls.
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004/OD_TOURNEYS/ICCCT/SCORECARDS/IND_KENYA_ICCCT_ODI3_11SEP2004.html
- Against England (3 September 2004 ) at The Brit Oval, London
VVS scored 33 of 43 balls. Ganguly scored 7 out of 10 balls.
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004/OD_TOURNEYS/NWC/SCORECARDS/ENG_IND_NWC_ODI2_03SEP2004.html
- Against England (1 September 2004 ) at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
VVS scored 29 of 35 balls. Ganguly scored 24 out of 31 balls.
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004/OD_TOURNEYS/NWC/SCORECARDS/ENG_IND_NWC_ODI1_01SEP2004.html
- Against Pakistan (1 September 2004 ) at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
VVS 37 of 51 balls, Ganguly 25 of 29 balls
- Against Pakistan in Pakistan
VVS scored 107 in 104 balls, Ganguly 45 in 64 balls
http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2003-04/IND_IN_PAK/SCORECARDS/IND_PAK_ODI5_24MAR2004.html
You know what I'm getting tired of putting all these, but I want to put the knock of VVS against Australia here..if you are interested to find more please go to Statsguru at cricinfo
- Against Zimbabwe
VVS 131 in 138 balls, Ganguly 1 in 5 balls ---- DATE 24TH JAN' 2004
- Against Australia in Australia ( I think VVS shamed all the selectors for not selecting him in 2003 WC, by playing ultimate knocks & reminding how good he is in ODI's)
VVS 106 IN 130 BALLS, Ganguly 1 in 8 balls ---- DATE 22ND JAN' 2004
VVS 103 IN 113 BALLS, Ganguly 18 in 24 balls ---- DATE 18TH JAN' 2004
