Dropping VVS Laxman from ODI squad perhaps was a mistake, says Ganguly

VVS Laxman is to the cricket World Cup what George Best was to the football World Cup. Despite being one of the best talents in their respective sports, these two players never got to play in the biggest tournament the game has to offer. And Laxman later revealed that he had thought of quitting after missing the bus for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa only to change his mind later convincing himself that he did not become a cricketer to play the big event.

Four of Laxman’s six ODI hundreds had come against Australia

Laxman’s ODI career, nevertheless, remained a pale one compared to the one he had in Tests. He made his debut in the shorter format against Zimbabwe in 1998 and went on to play till 2006 but in these eight years, he appeared in just 86 matches in which he scored just over 2,300 runs at an average of 30-plus. However, of his six centuries that he hit in ODIs, four came against Australia – his favourite opponent in Tests as well, while the other two came against Zimbabwe and Pakistan. The ton against the arch-rivals came in Pakistan which was certainly a big feat for the batsman.

Laxman, whose name is immortal in the annals of the history of Indian cricket by the virtue of the 281 he hit against Australia in Kolkata in 2001, saw himself getting dropped from the Indian squad ahead of the quadrennial event in South Africa. Reflecting on that move, the then captain Sourav Ganguly said: “maybe it was a mistake”.

“Laxman was a player who could have done well in all formats. In hindsight, maybe it was a mistake. As a captain, you take decisions and things happen which may not be right or wrong,” India Today cited reports as quoting Ganguly. The former captain though conceded that it was Laxman’s 281 that had saved his captaincy.

VVS Laxman, who recently came up with the autobiography named ‘281 and Beyond’, called it as the darkest phase of his career and had contemplated quitting when he went to the USA for a vacation with his friends. But then a thing ringed in his head. “But then I realised, that I did not become a cricketer to play the World Cup but it was for the sport. I was being childish. I told myself ‘I was among the lucky few who got this opportunity and I should not let it go’,” the stylish former batsman was quoted as saying.

[interaction id=”5c0d233cfc61dd68e82ab7d3″]

Get the latest Cricket News and updates, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.