This is why Laxman isn't in the ODI team
Originally posted on Monday, January 23, 2006
The Ausralians who are often baffled by the fact that Laxman isn't in the ODI team, should see the last few overs of current session (Day 3, pre lunch Ind-Pak test 2). All those who want to see what is meant by lack of street smartness should also see this as a nice example.
Scenario - Dravid on 97, obviously a bit nervous to get to 3 figures and lunch approaching, a dilemma that batsmen hate facing, whether to go for it or not. Generally they like to get the monkey of the back before heading to the pavilion.
So what does Laxman do? Out of around 6 overs before the session close, he takes singles on at least 5 occasions off the last ball of the over, constantly denying strike to his skipper. Of course he isn't doing this on purpose, but this is where he lacks a sense of the moment, this is where he lacks the street smartness to manufacture a single, this is where he lacks the agility to steal a single. You could feel the frustration in Anand Vasu's cricinfo commentary when he had to repeat "And still Laxman keeps the strike!".
Not that this is a big issue and Dravid possesses too great a temperament to get affected by it, however some other batsman can easily get desperate in such situation and throw it away.
Laxman could have been such an authoritative figure if he could have exchanged some of his artistry for this kind of smartness!
The Ausralians who are often baffled by the fact that Laxman isn't in the ODI team, should see the last few overs of current session (Day 3, pre lunch Ind-Pak test 2). All those who want to see what is meant by lack of street smartness should also see this as a nice example.
Scenario - Dravid on 97, obviously a bit nervous to get to 3 figures and lunch approaching, a dilemma that batsmen hate facing, whether to go for it or not. Generally they like to get the monkey of the back before heading to the pavilion.
So what does Laxman do? Out of around 6 overs before the session close, he takes singles on at least 5 occasions off the last ball of the over, constantly denying strike to his skipper. Of course he isn't doing this on purpose, but this is where he lacks a sense of the moment, this is where he lacks the street smartness to manufacture a single, this is where he lacks the agility to steal a single. You could feel the frustration in Anand Vasu's cricinfo commentary when he had to repeat "And still Laxman keeps the strike!".
Not that this is a big issue and Dravid possesses too great a temperament to get affected by it, however some other batsman can easily get desperate in such situation and throw it away.
Laxman could have been such an authoritative figure if he could have exchanged some of his artistry for this kind of smartness!
posted by w_o @ 3:12 PM
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