VVS Laxman

When we think of VVS Laxman, we always think of the divine gift he was born with. We think of the timing, the grace, the wristy shots. But his elegance cloaks an intense mental strength that is not highlighted often enough.
He has batted at different positions, he has been in and out of the team a bit, and he has batted alongside a pretty good middle order; but because he doesn't look like he is making a lot of effort when batting, we tend to forget that there is a lot of hard work involved in what he does.
Now that he has reached 100 Tests, it's time to celebrate his longevity and what lies behind it. He has had his share of injuries. He has coped with them, played through them, and a lot of it comes down to his mental strength.
Our partnership extends to standing next to each other in the slips. He has been one of the best slippers I have stood with. We spend a lot of time on our slip catching. Both of us have that conscious drive to be good slippers. That we have built a good slip cordon has been a significant factor in our winning more games over the last ten years or so.
Standing in slips we talk about a variety of subjects. He has always been interesting to talk to: he is a wise man, has an infectious laugh, and is one of the most positive persons around. We keep bouncing ideas off each other - whether about the game or other subjects. We both have young children, and sometimes the conversations are about how Samit [my son] is doing and how Sarvajit [Laxman's son] is doing, and which school to send them to and why. That way we manage to switch ourselves on and off in the slips.
In the dressing room, you'll always find Laxman with his Walkman on, lying down, or sleeping somewhere. Even if it's before he has to go in to bat, you see Laxman under a table catching up on sleep. It always boggles my mind that amid the noise and clutter of the dressing room, here is a man, who needs to go in to bat in a short while, sleeping calmly.
Till he walks out to bat, he always gives you anxious moments. He waits until the last minute to get ready. If he is batting overnight, or has come back not out for lunch or tea, you see him padding up once the umpires have started to walk out. "What's happening Lax? Get ready," is the usual cry. But that's until he walks out.
Laxman has a lot of balance in his cricket and in his life. He doesn't get carried away with a lot of success, neither does he let failure bog him down. Sure, like any other player he gets excited when he is doing really well, and disappointed when he is not. But he is different in that he never lets it get to his head. He has the ability to bounce back, which allows him to remain calm through turbulence.