India have all ingredients to stay at helm for long time – VVS Laxman

Former Indian batsman VVS Laxman recently lauded the efforts of the Indian team. India reached the top of the ICC Test rankings. They convincingly whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 to seal the series. Laxman wrote a blog for cricketcountry.com, where he had his insights on what the number one ranking means to India. Laxman spoke on the fact that all players contributed to the victory.

VVS Laxman cited that the margins for victories have been huge. This reflects the kind of cricket team India has played. Taking a deeper insight, he said these margins are a precursor to India’s dominion in Test cricket.

“The margins of victory in the three Tests were huge — 197 runs, 178 runs and 321 runs — are just reflection of the quality of cricket played by the two sides, but as impressive as those margins are, it is the signs around the final result that are particularly heartening,” Laxman wrote.

Commenting on how Virat Kohli led from the front, VVS Laxman remarked at Kohli’s ‘steely determination’. He noticed that a big score eluded him. Strings of low scores followed after the double ton in Antigua. He admitted that Kohli did not give his wicket away till the end in the Indore Test. “I am not saying it was obvious he would get a double-hundred, but you could see the steely determination, you could see that he had to be dismissed, that he would not be giving it away,” wrote the 134-Test veteran.

He commended the way Ajinkya Rahane overcame all odds against the short pitch stuff coming his way. “He had a hard time in the middle on the first day, the unevenness of the bounce causing difficulties when the ball was banged in short,” pointed Laxman.

He said that Rahane could have easily had a lapse in concentration. But the batsman from Mumbai negotiated the tough phase and got his rewards on the next day. Rahane ended up falling short by just 12 runs of his double ton. “To Rahane’s great credit, he gusted through the difficult periods when he could have given into a momentary lapse in concentration. He reaped the rewards of the hard work on day two,” added VVS Laxman.

Cheteshwar Pujara’s place in the team was being questioned during the Caribbean tour. Such precarious was the situation that he was made to sit during one of the Tests in the tour. He bounced back well enough and struck a timely ton in the final Test. He emerged as the leading run getter in the series. Writing about Pujara, Laxman expressed his happiness on his performance.

“I am delighted that Pujara finally got the hundred he has been threatening to get all through the series, and a rapid hundred too that was exactly what the team needed,” wrote Laxman.

More importantly, Laxman said that the team now has the ability to stay at top for long periods of time. He cites the right blend of attitude and skills in the exisiting team camp.

“I am of the strong belief that having returned to the No. 1 position, all the ingredients are in place for Team India to stay at the helm for a long time. I say that on the basis of what I have seen in these last three weeks, skills-wise and attitudinally,” remarked Laxman.

He spoke on the key qualities of team members. He wrote about the passion and the hunger that the young team has. He commended the focus that the players have and said it is this determination that holds the key to building strong teams.

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“The great teams are the ones that focus more inwards than on what the rest of the world is doing. They want to get better with each passing day, they want to keep learning and keep improving. They are driven, they are committed, they are hungry and passionate, they look out for each other, they have impeccable work ethics,” wrote Laxman.

Laxman lastly expressed his excitement at the way India is shaping up well. He showed his enthusiasm for the England series. England are scheduled to tour India for a 5-match Test series next month. The brand of Test cricket that India is coming up with is what thrills Laxman.

He wrote, “I am both thrilled and excited at what lies ahead, and I cannot really wait for the start of the next Test series, against England, because the fearless, one for all and all for one brand of Test cricket that this team has embraced has got me hooked.”