VVS281-Classicist's Classicist!

All Hail Lacchi.....our own dear VVS!

I was meaning to write a tribute of Neville Cardusian proportions on the most beloved, artless, sanguine cricketer that you can ever find.....apne-ich Lacchi gaadu!

Can there ever be a more genuine cricketer than VVS? May be Jimmy comes close.....but VVS right from his plain speaking, philosophical attitude, genuine(oh that word again) love for the game and people, is really a throw back to Jack Hobbs times. VVS is the classicist's classicist who can play those rousing, Adrenalin pumping attacking strokes.....pulling fast bowlers in front of the square, square driving, push-cover drives that scream classssss, back cuts that bisect the 'slips', ondrives....throw in a forehand straight down the ground for variety. Lacchi's batting is succulent, symmetrical and incredibly lyrical.

And he WON matches for India when it really, really mattered. In fact his 281 has changed the course of Indian cricket for the better. Without Lacchi's immortal 281 Ganguly was only big-talking wreck against all conquering Aussies! Like in the case of Jimmy, India and Indian joker selectors played havoc with VVS' career.....can you imagine he wasn't taken to World cup 2003? That selection panel should be summarily shot! In the self same year VVS produced a purple patch that's the purplest in Indian History. He scored 3 one-day hundreds in a week......all of startling beauty, elegance and many David Gowers;-)

The partners in crime, VVS and Dravid, having delivered killer blow in Adelaide moved to Sydney for the last test. VVS as his wont, slackened by the absence of pressure, failed in Melbourne and Aussies duly plastered us. He came in at the end of 1st day, methinks, under pressure(oh that seductress) scratched couple boundaries. My colleagues teased me that my dearest Lacchi was outta form.....I cussed many shudh Hyderabadi gaalis to myself and prayed for next day. Woke up a lil late, praying all the time that this bugger shouldn't poke outside off to be dismissed, and looked at the TV screen.....rubbed my eyes just to ensure that i wasn't still asleep.....VVS elegantly galloped to 90's and a huge smile broke out on my face! Mind you I could've gone without food for a week.....so delicious was his stroke play.....at one point he hit Mr. Lee for 5 boundaries in 7 deliveries. VVS' 170 that day contained 30 4's....each sweeter than the one before only spoilt by Gavaskar's atrocious commentary. Cue ....bedlam.....Harsha Boghle was droning, Rohit Brijnath was typing furiously for his Sportstar article and I just drunk in every boundary,couple,single.....oh BTW VVS can never run 3's if you didn't know already.....he seemed to be running on a treadmill....no forward movement but limbs in motion apparently. No criticism there....I/we love Lacchi for running singles where there could be 3's.....who needs a scamperer when there's symphony on tap!

Lacchi's 30's and even 20's.....forget it ....just say his every single run is GOLDEN to his/me fans.....many a time our jigri dosts and unalloyed Lacchi fans had angry conversations that.....గీడు సెంచరీలు కొట్టదేన్దిరా? లఫూట్ బౌలింగ్ , ఫ్లాట్ పిచ్ ల పైన అందరు పండగ చేస్కుంటే గీనికేమి పుట్టింది మనను భాధ పెడతడు?? గీడు SA ల (2010) గంత జబర్రస్ ఆడి మల్లా 96 కు అవుట్ ....and so on. And inevitably it had to be Australia for one of his last glorious performances.....leading a hopeless chase, bad back, most wickets down.....perfect formula for VVS. He scored 72* with flick-pulling fast bowlers, driving the off spinners, maintaining elegant free-scoring to literally drag India to a most memorable victory with the all time great batsmen 'Ohja' for company. All 3 of us(the secret Lacchi club) spoke to each other on cue when Lacchi was hitting the winning runs!

Hey Sachin.....keep all the records, I will watch that immortal 281 in my next birth, and the next till eternity!

Happiness and Joy is.....watching VVS bat!