An innings well-played

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VVS Laxman recently announced his retirement from international cricket

VVS Laxman re-tired from international cricket on August 18. Laxman was one of the most stylish cricketers India has ever produced. His 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in 2008 is one of the greatest innings any Indian batsmen has ever played.

Sachin Tendulkar tweeted: “When I walk out to play in Hyd-erabad I’ll feel a deep void...My dear friend, VVS Laxman...” His teammate Virat Kohli said: “A very very special cricketer and a more special person. A true inspiration and class personified! You will be missed Laxman bhai...”
He could have easily become a doctor — he enrolled as a medical student, a lawyer, or a classy hotelier, but he chose cricket because it was his first love. “I consider myself lucky to be born in an era when the likes of Laxman, Dravid and Sachin were playing. Cricket, especially Test matches, will be less fun without the likes of Laxman,” says Abhiraj Chakraborty, an MBA student.
Former cricketer Akash Chopra tweeted: “The man who played the ‘best Test innings by an Indian’ has called it a day. VVS Laxman, thanks for the memories.”
It’s not always that you get a sportsman who plays just because he loves the game, without anything to prove to anyone. “I have always kept the country’s success and needs ahead of my personal aspirations and I would have loved to contribute to the team’s success especially against England and Australia later in the season,” Laxman was quoted as saying after announcing his retirement.
Some players play to win, some play for praise, some play because they can’t do anything else and then there are some who play just because they love the game — VVS was one of them.