Wisden overview
At his sublime best, VVS Laxman is a sight for the gods. Wristy, willowy and sinuous, he can match, and sometimes better, Sachin Tendulkar for strokeplay. His on-side game is comparable to his idol Mohammad Azharuddin, and yet he is decidedly more assured on the off side, as long as he remembers not to waft towards the two gullies that often greet him. In March 2001, all the dreams he had had as a wannabe medical student came true when he tormented Steve Waugh's then-invincible Australians with a majestic 281 at Calcutta - one of the greatest performances of all time. He made three other fifties in that series, and 289 runs at an average of 57 in the one-dayers: consistency at last. But then he went back to mortality, and even though he continued to produce some breathtaking strokes there was a breathlessness about his batting and he seemed to settle for the frustrations of the 20s and 30s. Laxman has not been helped by whimsical selectors, who made him open the batting for more than two years, and dropped him from the one-day side in January 2002 when his one-day figures had improved in the previous year. Still, he could not argue with their point: he must put a higher price on his wicket. It's unlikely he will ever scale the heights of that 281 again, but if he even gets close, Indian cricket will have been well served. And he has it in him to be captain, as well as one of India's best slip catchers. Sambit Bal

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