da realsbet： On November 10, 1985, Rhona Petrosyan, widow of chess legend TigranPetrosyan, told Garry Kasparov: “Garry, I am sorry for you.” Kasparov wasstunned; just the previous day, he had won the world title to become theyoungest-ever chess champion in
Anand Vasu04-Feb-2003On November 10, 1985, Rhona Petrosyan, widow of chess legend TigranPetrosyan, told Garry Kasparov: “Garry, I am sorry for you.” Kasparov wasstunned; just the previous day, he had won the world title to become theyoungest-ever chess champion in history at the age of 22. A dazed,uncomprehending Kasparov shot back: “And what is there to feel sorryabout?” The truly wise Petrosyan replied: “I am sorry for you, Garry,because the best day of your life is already over.”
© CricInfoMuch the same could – and perhaps should – have been said to VVS Laxman onMarch 15, 2001, when he carved himself a splendiferous place in historywith a match-winning 281 against Australia at the Eden Gardens. That singleinnings rocked his world; nothing has been the same for Laxman, and theknock now almost two years past, his critics insist that he has donenothing of note since then. Laxman would point out that he has scoredalmost 1,500 Test runs at an average of more than 47, with two centuriesand nine fifties, but in the fever-pitch speculation that inevitablyprecedes one-day cricket’s greatest bonanza, Test records count for little.That supreme quadrennial circus – the World Cup – is upon us once again.Television screens blare on about contests that fly winners to SouthAfrica. The media relives, rehashes and regurgitates old victories – the1983 triumph alone has been viewed more in the last fortnight than in the20 preceding years. Newspapers line up more celebrity columnists thancorrespondents, and glossy supplements promising to keep you on the ballhave duly been released. From roadside shops to overpricedbars, no sentence escapes lips without the word “cricket” worming its wayinto it.The devoted cricket fan, however, must spot one incongruity amidst all thepomp – VVS Laxman is on a plane to Bridgetown, Barbados, rather than CapeTown, South Africa. Not considered good enough to make the final cut forthe World Cup 15, Laxman instead finds himself leading India ‘A’ in theCarib Beer Cup rather than bolstering the Indian top-order in South Africa.How much will this decision cost India in the final analysis? It is, ofcourse, difficult to tell before a ball has been bowled, but the selectorsstill have much explaining to do vis-a-vis their choice of replacement fora man who oozes class every time he puts bat to ball. But even avoiding thewell-worn cliché about the temporariness of form and the permanence ofclass, one look at Dinesh Mongia’s recent record will reveal much. Afterbeing drafted into the Indian side for the last two games of the ICCChampions Trophy and being asked to open the innings – Mongia did hisbest impression of a deer in the headlights and was promptly dropped forthe tour of New Zealand.But soon after, the Indian selectors picked the squad for the World Cup,leaving out Laxman and flying Mongia to New Zealand to get someinternational cricket ahead of his trip to South Africa for the World Cup.Confused selection? You make up your mind, for it certainly looks as thoughthe selectors could not.In his last 10 one-day internationals, 351 runs have flowed off Laxman’sblade at an average of a touch under 40. Although he scored no hundreds, hegot as close as is humanly possible with his 99 against the West Indies atNagpur. Other scores of 47, 66 and 71 in the same series ensured that themen from the Caribbean developed a healthy respect for the Hyderabadi stylist.A pity the selectors chose to think otherwise.Judging Mongia by the same yardstick gives new life to the phrase “odiouscomparison.” In his last 10 outings, the left-hander has managed a meagre97 runs at an average of a shade over 10. The man who will bat for India inthe world’s premier one-day competition could not even manage ahalf-century in this period. And yet, there has been hardly a whimper aboutthis bit of selection madness, one that could very well cost India dear ina crunch match.
© CricInfoPerhaps that is only because people do actually believe that Laxman hasdone little of note since his epic 281, despite evidence to the contrary.Or perhaps it is because Laxman has always been the scapegoat, the one”expendable” batsman, in recent times. Or perhaps even because many ofLaxman’s brightest moments have come when he did not even expect to be inthe side. Rumour has it that he was not slated to play the second Testagainst the Australians at Kolkata till the very last moment, and hecertainly was not drafted into the team for the West Indies until VirenderSehwag was injured.By the same logic, perhaps there is still a chance he will make it to theWorld Cup, courtesy a last-minute crock-of-the-hamstring to a fringe playerin the squad? Sadly, it must be this kind of straw that wishful thinkerswill be clutching onto. When it comes to a cricketer of Laxman’s class,however, one cannot help but feel that this should not be the case. Laxmanmay not care for the game of chess, but he might want to read RhonaPetrosyan’s words carefully. “I am sorry for you, because the best day ofyour life is already over.” For Laxman, it may be time to look beyond 281and start afresh.