VVS Laxman names Team India’s biggest match-winner ever

Laxman represented India in 134 Tests.

Kumble retired in 2008 as the highest wicket-taker for India with 619 wickets | Getty Images

VVS Laxman can certainly take pride in being in the era when India had the luxury of having the greatest match-winners of the game of cricket has ever produced.

In his international career, the legendary batsman had played with Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh – who is considered as the greatest match-winners India has ever seen. However, it would be a really tricky task to pick the best among these legends not only for fans but also the cricket experts, but that’s not the same for Laxman.

In an episode of the Very Very Special stories, the former batsman has picked former Team India captain and former head coach Anil Kumble as India’s ‘the biggest match-winner’.

Read Also: Day-Night Test will be a challenge for Ashwin and Jadeja, says VVS Laxman

Laxman said, “My dear friend Anil Kumble is probably India’s biggest match-winner... The biggest match-winner I played with.”

Recalling his first match against Kumble in 1995 in the Challengers Trophy, he said: “It was a bad memory. I did well for Hyderabad, and India U 19 so was picked for the India B side in the Challengers Trophy. The match was happening in the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium.”

He continued, “I can never forget the sound of the ball hitting my pad... Against a leggie, you go on the backfoot trying to hit it square of the wicket... I did that in the previous ball but the next ball struck my pads even before my bat came down, Anil was quick in the air.”

Noteworthy, Laxman and Kumble played in 84 Test matches together while Laxman played Kumble's captaincy between 2006 and 2008 for India.

Meanwhile, the legendary spinner also recounted the story. Kumble signed off by saying, “I had heard about you. I knew you were a backfoot player. Probably that’s how I used to set up a player. I just got lucky that day and I also remember coming to you after that match telling you not to play on the backfoot.”

(With Hindustan Times Inputs)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 18 Nov, 2019

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