HYDERABAD: Despite calls for their retirement, there is no sign of any of the senior cricketers like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman announcing their immediate future course of action leave alone hanging up their boots.
Laxman, along with left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and administrative manager Shivlal Yadav, slipped into the city on Sunday night. Laxman politely declined to meet the media. Sources close to the cricketer, however, indicated that he has not thought of retirement.
“He is obviously disappointed with his performance in Australia. After all, it was one place where he had always scored runs,’’ said a cricketer close to Laxman. Laxman himself was surprised with the sudden drought of runs. On talk of rift between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and vice-captain Virender Sehwag, a team-member denied differences between the duo. “The equation between Dhoni and Sehwag is absolutely fine. It is all rumours created by the media,’’ he clarified. With the Test players back home, now all eyes are on Yadav who is incidentally one of the vice-presidents of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). With the working committee scheduled to meet on Feb 13 in Chennai, Yadav’s report will be crucial. “The important thing is that the next Test series is in September. The working committee will not be in a hurry to discuss Dravid or Laxman’s retirement. There will be discussion on the debacle but not on retirement of these cricketers,’’ said a source.
There have been demands for the retirement of Laxman, Dravid and even Tendulkar following their dismal performance Down Under. However, the problem is to find suitable replacements for them.
The Indian cricket board is expecting a better performance in the one-day series in Australia. “It will at least help people forget the dreadful Test series,’’ observed a former cricketer. The one-day series will be preceded by two T20 matches beginning Feb 1.