VVS Laxman’s Very Very Special Achievements on His 44th Birthday

Former India bastman VVS Laxman, who led his country to many memorable victories, especially against the Australians, turns 44 today.

Laxman, who played 134 Tests and 86 ODIs, scored 8,781 runs in Tests and 2,338 runs in ODIs.

The Hyderabad cricketer’s innings of 281 runs against Australia in 2001, is widely regarded as one of the best Test innings of all time.

Here’s a look at some of the big stats from Laxman’s international career, which spanned from 1996-2012.

• Laxman’s innings of 281 runs against Australia in 2001 broke the then record for the highest score by an Indian in Test cricket. Sunil Gavaskar's 236* against the West Indies stood as the highest score by an Indian in Tests from 1983 until Laxman bettered it in 2001.
• VVS Laxman has batted at 9 different batting positions in Tests; he batted from 1-8 and once at number 10 too.
• When Laxman opened the batting for India in a Test match in Jamaica on the tour of the West Indies in 1997, it was the first time he was opening the batting in first-class cricket.

• VVS Laxman's first Test century was the 167 he scored as an opener at Sydney on the tour of Australia in 1999-2000.
• Of his 23 hundreds in international cricket, 10 were against Australia.
• VVS Laxman averaged 71.80 from 9 Test wins against Australia and an incredible 107.50 in the 6 draws he was part of against Australia.

• VVS Laxman is the highest run-getter in Tests at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In 10 Tests, he accumulated 1,217 runs, which included 5 hundreds, at an average of 110.64. No other Indian cricketer, who has batted in 10 innings at a venue, has such a great batting average at a venue.
• VVS Laxman pouched 135 catches in Test cricket – which is the second-highest by an Indian in Test cricket. Only Rahul Dravid, with 209 catches, grabbed more.

(This article is being republished from The Quint’s archives to mark VVS Laxman’s 44th birthday. The statistics are as of 1 November 2017.)