Laxman Sivaramakrishnan

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Laxman Sivaramakrishnan Biography

Siva was perhaps the most gifted leg-spinner produced by India. He could turn them hugely and both ways. He could mix them up to fox even the most reputed players of spin. To cap it, he was a brilliant fielder, and when on song an attractive batsman. And it all ended way, way too soon.

He went on his first tour at 16, made his Test debut at 17 and at the age of 18 he had spun India to victory with 6 for 64 and 6 for 117 at the Wankhede against England. He claimed 6 more in the very next innings he bowled. But by the end of the Tests, although he won the Man of the Series award, the Englishmen had sorted him out.

When India won the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985, Siva produced spells that impressed one and all, and had even on-field umpires visibly shaking their heads in wonder. The way he bamboozled Saleem Malik in the finals to get him caught in the covers off a googly was phenomenal.

However, after that he did little of note. Soon he had become extremely predictable and was playing third fiddle to Shivlal Yadav and Ravi Shastri. By the end of 1985-86 he was out of the Test side. By the end of the middle of India’s Reliance Cup campaign of 1987, he had played his last ODI as well. Indiscipline and a reputed overindulgence in the pleasures of life had taken him downhill way too quickly.

He did try a second lease of life through his improving batting, but despite being one of the architects of Tamil Nadu’s Ranji Trophy triumph in 1987-88, he was not in the reckoning any longer. It was much later that he resurfaced as a commentator.

Arunabha Sengupta

Laxman Sivaramakrishnan Batting & Fielding Averages

Career

Avg

100s

50s

Test

ODIs

T20s

World Cup

Laxman Sivaramakrishnan Bowling Averages

Career	M	B	R	W	Avg	EC	SR	5WI	10WM	BBI	BBM
Test	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
ODIs	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
T20s	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	1/36	--