'Speechless with the tragic news of the passing of my great mate and beloved cricketing man'
Veteran Indian batsman VVS Laxman rose seven places to a career-best sixth in the ICC Rankings for Test batsmen after playing two crucial half centuries in the drawn match against the West Indies in Bridgetown.
India were 229 for three on the fourth day of the second Test against the West Indies at Bridgetown on Friday, thereby extending their overall lead to 240.
Former Indian batsman VVS Laxman says Rishabh Pant is fast running out of time to justify the time invested in him by the team management and might lose his place to Sanju Samson if he doesn't regain his form soon.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said that the cricket board will have to deliberate over Rahul Dravid's candidature before taking any decision on India's next coach but assured that the right person will be selected at the appropriate time. With Ravi Shastri's contract as Team Director coming to an end after the completion of ICC World T20, Dravid's name has been doing the rounds for the job. Thakur said: "I think media publishes many reports which are not even discussed at any level. Rahul Dravid has done extremely well as a player and he has been outstanding with India A and U-19 players.
'He was literally a founding father of our cricket. May he rest in peace'
"I feel honoured as I have been bestowed with one of the most prestigious awards. It is indeed satisfying that my achievements while playing for the country have been rewarded. The biggest honour, however, is the opportunity to represent my country for so many years," said Laxman after the announcement was made.
Former Indian cricketers lavished praise on senior batsman VVS Laxman for showing "exemplary" grit and determination while leading India to a thrilling one-wicket win over Australia in the first Test despite battling back spasms.
India's abject surrender in the first two Tests against England has drawn sharp criticism from some of the country's celebrated former cricketers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, on Sunday, congratulated star India shuttler P V Sindhu for winning the Korea Open Super Series title in Seoul.
It was jelly beans four years ago and it is Vaseline this time as a controversy erupted in the second India-England Test here when VVS Laxman was accused of using it on his bat to manipulate the Hot-Spot technology in the Decision Review System.
Images from Day 4 in the first Test between India and England, at Lord's.
Having conceded a 0-3 lead to Australia in the four-Test series so far, the Indian cricket team is all set to lose its second place in the ICC Test ranking to South Africa.
It has just been a few weeks since Duncan Fletcher took over as India's coach but senior batsman VVS Laxman says the team is already bowled over by his knowledge of the game and feels "lucky" to have him on board.
He has been a long-time middle-order mainstay of India's batting line-up but veteran VVS Laxman says he started feeling assured in the team only in the last four years during which he was given the "freedom" to play his natural game.
VVS Laxman was a disappointed man despite playing a crucial role in India's recovery in the second Test against West Indies as a hundred had eluded him once again after all the hard work. Laxman, who played a precious 85-run knock in India's total of 201 on Tuesday.
Statistical highlights from the opening day's play in the second cricket Test between India and the West Indies played in Bridgetown, Barbados.
India's Test skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday welcomed new head coach Anil Kumble into the team saying he is looking forward towards work with the legendary leg-spinner.
Around 62 Indian cricketers will be up for auction for the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar in the top-bracket of cricketers valued at Rs 1.84 crore.
Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid hit contrasting centuries to give India the upperhand against New Zealand on Day 1 of the first Test, at the Sardar Patel stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, on Thursday. At stumps on the opening day, India were 329 for three in 90 overs, with Sachin Tendulkar on 13 from 47 balls and VVS Laxman on seven.
VVS Laxman, who had a bad back during the Mohali Test, required three painkilling injections plus tablets at each break in the game to score his priceless 73 to snatch victory from jaws of defeat and make the Australians suffer once again.
Defending Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games pole vault champion Steve Hooker is a sporting legend Down Under, but even he can't help but admire the greatness of Sachin Tendulkar.
Seeking to clear air over the altercation Zaheer Khan had with Ricky Ponting, India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said the issue was a misunderstanding on part of Australia's captain. Harbhajan said Zaheer's remarks were not directed at Ponting; the pacer was just talking with teammate VVS Laxman.
Hailing Sourav Ganguly's appointment as the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president, former India batsman VVS Laxman said it's a positive sign for the sport in the country.
Asserting that the Indian cricket team does not require "more coaches" than what it already has right now, Director Ravi Shastri has said he might just be there "longer" than expected.
The legendary batsman is likely to tour with India A team while he prepares to shape India's cricketing future
However, the BCCI instead named Ganguly to a three-member advisory committee, which also includes greats Indian Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman.
Kochi Tuskers Kerala rode on a rollicking opening stand between Brendon McCullum and VVS Laxman as they scored a challenging 161 for five against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their debut Indian Premier League match in Kochi on Saturday.
The low-scoring second cricket Test was tantalisingly poised after the third day's play with South Africa needing 192 more runs to win and India also fancying their chances of a remarkable series-levelling victory in Durban.
Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan destroyed South Africa's batting to give India the upperhand at the end of day two in the second Test.
Batting mainstay VVS Laxman believes a 250 plus score in the first innings at Kingsmead will prove competitive and give India enough cushion to bowl out South Africa in the second Test.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur has said the Indian cricket team will have a full-time coach after the World T20 and the high-profile advisory committee comprising Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly will have a say in the appointment.
Former South Africa captain Clive Rice rates the India bowling attack higher than South Africa's and said the home bowlers would struggle to take 20 wickets against a batting line-up, which boasts of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag, in the Test series starting next week.
Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal, shooter Gagan Narang and India cricketer VVS Laxman were among several sportspersons who were the part of the Queen's Baton Relay that arrived in Hyderabad on Saturday.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli, on Monday, lauded ace sprinter Hima Das for winning five gold medals in a span of 20 days.
VVS Laxman's unbeaten century under pressure showed why he is regarded as "very very special", captain Mahendra Singh said on Saturday, attributing India's series-levelling victory against Sri Lanka to a "collective effort".
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori had no qualms in admitting that India's lower-order batman Harbhajan Singh denied the Kiwis a possible win in the first Test in Ahmedabad with his aggressive brand of cricket.
Images from the fifth and final day's play of the opening Test between India and New Zealand at Motera on Monday.
The opening Test between India and New Zealand at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera ended as a draw on the fifth and final day on Monday. The visitors, chasing 295 to win, had made 22 for one when play was called off.
Chris Martin claimed five wickets and Kane Williamson and Jesse Ryder hit centuries to help New Zealand push for victory against India, on Day 4 of the first Test at the Sardar Patel stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, on Sunday. At close on day four, India were struggling at 82 for six in 40 overs, for an overall lead of 109 runs.
