Tag Archives: V. V. S. Laxman

What the Hell Happened to India?

Posted on August 19, 2014 by rightoffthebatbook

Reader: Consider two cricket teams—India and England—both alike in dignity. Both sides are in transition: even though their star players may have departed to the skyboxes and commentary positions, both teams are blessed with plenty of youthful talent—to wit, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya … Continue reading →

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The Debut to End All Debuts

Posted on March 16, 2013 by rightoffthebatbook

You’re a batter who’s reached the age of twenty-seven, scoring freely and often in the minor leagues, and yet you’ve been prevented from entering  the majors because the guy you’d be replacing is a slugger of such renown that to … Continue reading →

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Exit V. V. S. Laxman

Posted on August 29, 2012 by rightoffthebatbook

Cricket has long been a sport associated with the aristocracy: some were born noble, some achieved nobility after they retired, and some just walk out onto the pitch as to the manor born. V. V. S. Laxman, tall and elegant, … Continue reading →

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Farewell to The Wall

Posted on March 10, 2012 by rightoffthebatbook

Rahul Dravid, for sixteen years the seemingly impregnable foundation of an extraordinarily talented Indian batting line up, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 39. He hadn’t had a particularly successful recent tour of Australia. But … Continue reading →

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The Fight to Be Number One

Posted on January 20, 2012 by rightoffthebatbook

It is a truth universally acknowledged (or at least it is in the world of international cricket) that teams visiting the Indian subcontinent are as unable to cope with the mysteries of spin generated by pitch and weather conditions in … Continue reading →

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The Old Ones

Posted on January 5, 2012 by rightoffthebatbook

At the end of 2011, much of the talk in cricket was over what Australia, South Africa, and India should do about their aging titans. Should Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey (Australia) gracefully leave the stage? Were Jacques Kallis’s days … Continue reading →

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Veterans Administration

Posted on June 25, 2011 by rightoffthebatbook

Rahul Dravid, known as “The Wall” for the solidity and imperviousness of his defensive technique, has just scored his thirty-second century for India in his 152nd Test match. He is thirty-eight years old. This summer, Sachin Tendulkar, also thirty-eight, will … Continue reading →

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