The Indian cricket fraternity on Saturday paid glowing tributes to V.V.S. Laxman, who announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect, describing the stylish batsman as an exceptional cricketer who excelled in pressure situations.
Laxman's teammates such as Sachin Tendulkar they will miss him in the dressing room and said the void left by him will never be fulfilled. Former captains such as Sourav Ganguly and Dilip Vengsarkar also hailed the stylish batsman for his outstanding career.
"When I walk out to play in Hyderabad, I will feel a deep void. A void that can never be fulfilled. My dear friend, V.V.S. Laxman..." Tendulkar tweeted.
Dilip Vengsarkar said that Laxman is a cricketer who emerges once in a generation.
"Laxman has had an outstanding career. He is one of the few batsman who was a great chaser, an art only a few could master," Vengsarkar stated.
Ganguly, who has shared the Indian dressing room with Laxman for more than decade recollected the epic knock of 281 at the Eden Gardens.
"That was the brightest day in Laxman's career. That innings had a big impact on Indian cricket. It had given us a huge sense of relief and made us have belief in ourself that we're not behind... Since then, we never looked back as Indian cricket kept improving."
"He was terrific... a God's gifted player. When I first saw him, his style seemed to me like that of Mohammad Azharuddin but he went on to prove himself to be better."
Ganguly further said Laxman was very different in the dressing room, much unlike what he seemed while being on the field.
Recalling India's 2007 Test vs South Africa in Cape Town, Ganguly said they had to change the batting order and he had to come at 4 as Laxman was taking shower.
"We had lost two quick wickets and the umpire did not allow Tendulkar to bat at his usual position as a penalty for being out of the field for about 15 minutes."
"It was Laxman's turn next but we all kept searching for him frantically. The match had to be stopped as I was rushed in. I remember the physio tieing my shoelace, while Tendulkar was busy putting on the pad on one leg, while I was doing another. I was in track suits," he remembered fondly.
"Later we realised that he was taking shower. I can guarantee that in 125 of his 134 matches he went to shower just before the batsman ahead of him went in (to bat)."
Laxman was very religious, Ganguly added.
"I once did not have my iPod and borrowed his, but all the songs that I shuffled were only devotional songs which I did not understand. I soon gave it back to him," he said.
Chief selector K. Srikkanth said Laxman's contibution to team's success was immense.
"We respect his decision to retire with immediate effect. We wish him and his family all the best after retirement. He was a team player. he played with great deal of pride for his country. He won many matches for the country. his contribution has been great," Srikkanth said.
Former all rounder Bapu Nadkarni was surprised by Laxman's timing of retirement.
"I thought he would play the series against New Zealand. Why the suspense? He could have done it earlier. Anyway, he is one of the true champions of Indian batting," Nadkarni said.
Former player Chandu Borde said the way laxman dominated the formidable Australian bowlers was a treat to watch.
"He is one of the finest batsmen India has produced, one of the greats of the game, soft spoken and a very good team man. Towards the latter part of his career he was having some trouble with his back, but still overcame it."
"The innings he played in Kolkata (in 2001 against Australia) was one of the finest I have seen. The Australians did not know where to bowl. It (epic innings of 281) was a fantastic innings. I have rarely seen any batsman dominating the Australian attack the way he did," Borde said
Former captain Nari Contractor said the decision of Laxman was right though some people may wonder about the timing.
"He has done a very wise thing though people must be wondering why he did so after being selected. The selectors thought he should be picked but he must have felt it was time to give it up," said Contractor.
The former cricketer also hailed Laxman for having come up with some great innings when the chips were down.
"A few of his innings have been real gems. To have come up with such innings in times of crisis for the team was special. He has served Indian cricket very very well," he said.
The BCCI also acknowledged Laxman's contribution to Indian cricket.
"Not many batsmen made batting look as easy as VVS Laxman. He was an exceptional cricketer, who excelled in pressure situations. The classic innings that he essayed in crisis situations shaped the history of Indian cricket, none more so than the 281 against Australia at Kolkata in March 2001," BCCI President N. Srinivasan said in a statement.
"If a cricketer's greatness is to be measured in terms of his performances against the best opposition of his time, then Laxman stands right at the top. His record against Australia, the world's no. 1 team for the better part of his career, speaks for itself."
Srinivasan said Laxman will be missed and wished him luck for future.
"Indian cricket lovers, and the game of cricket itself, will miss him for the elegance and grace that he epitomised, on and off the field. On behalf of the BCCI, I would like to wish VVS Laxman all the best for the future," he said.