Laxman Sivaramakrishnan
Encyclopedia
Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (born December 31, 1965, Madras), popularly known as Siva and LS, is a former Indian cricketer. He was a right arm leg-spinner. He is now a commentator.
in 1980. He started his first class career at the age of 16, Siva made an immediate impression. On his debut against Delhi cricket team
in the quarter final of the 1981/82 Ranji Trophy
, he took 7 for 28 in the second innings, all the wickets coming in a spell of eleven overs. On the weight of this performance, he was selected in the South Zone side to play the West Zone in the Duleep Trophy
. After going wicketless in the first innings, he took five in the second, including the wicket of Sunil Gavaskar
who padded up a to a googly
.
Siva was immediately noticed and picked for the team to tour Pakistan
in 1982/83 and later to the West Indies. He had played only three first class matches till then. Siva made his Test debut at St. John's
at the age of 17 years and 118 days. He was the youngest Indian Test cricketer till that point of time. He went wicketless but scored 17 runs in the only innings that he played. In 1984, he toured Zimbabwe
with the Young India side under Ravi Shastri
. Later that year, he bowled himself back to the Indian side taking of 4 for 27 against the visiting English cricket team
for the India Under-25.
at the Bombay
. His first wicket was Graeme Fowler
who was caught and bowled off a full toss. Many of Siva's wickets came off full-tosses and half volleys. He could make the ball dip sharply late in its flight which often made the dismissed batsman look silly. His 6 for 64 and 6 for 117 helped India to an eight wicket win. It was India's first win in a Test match since 1981. Siva took another six wickets in the next innings at Delhi
. He took only five more wickets in the series.
In the World Championship of Cricket in Australia
in the same season, he finished as the top wicket taker. It was a time when spinners, especially leg-spinners, were considered a luxury in one day cricket. A memorable dismissal was of Javed Miandad
who was stumped off a leg break in the final. Siva did similarly well in the four nations tournament in Sharjah a few weeks later.
He made an unexpected comeback to the 1987 World Cup
team and played in two matches. The only wicket that he took was that of Zimbabwean John Traicos
, caught at midwicket by Gavaskar off a full toss.
Siva converted himself into a batsman and continued to play first class cricket on and off for another ten years. He contributed three centuries when Tamil Nadu
won the Ranji trophy in 1987/88. There were frequent reports of a comeback to the national team, but they all proved to be rumours. In his last season he played for Baroda.
, he shares the record for the longest 'supposed' surname among Test cricketers. However, Sivaramakrishan is not his surname at all. He started out as L. Sivaramakrishnan but, as is typical with expanding initialled south Indian names, turning the L to Laxman caused Sivaramakrishnan to appear to be his surname. Sivaramakrishnan is his given name and his father's given name is Laxman and hence he started out as L. Sivaramakrishnan as is common with Tamils to keep the first letter of one's father's first name as initial.
Early days
Siva first drew attention as a 12 year old claiming 7 for 2 in a Madras inter-schools championship game. At fifteen, he was the youngest member of the Under-19 India squad that toured Sri Lanka under Ravi ShastriRavi Shastri
Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri is a former Indian cricketer and captain. He was an all–rounder who batted right-handed and bowled left arm spin. His international career started when he was 18 years old and lasted for 12 years...
in 1980. He started his first class career at the age of 16, Siva made an immediate impression. On his debut against Delhi cricket team
Delhi cricket team
The Delhi cricket team is one of the first-class cricket teams, that plays in India's domestic competition, the Ranji Trophy. They have won the tournament seven times and have been runners-up seven. Their latest title in 2007-08 came after a long wait of 16 years. The previous win was in the...
in the quarter final of the 1981/82 Ranji Trophy
Ranji Trophy
The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, equivalent to the County Championship in England and the Sheffield Shield in Australia...
, he took 7 for 28 in the second innings, all the wickets coming in a spell of eleven overs. On the weight of this performance, he was selected in the South Zone side to play the West Zone in the Duleep Trophy
Duleep Trophy
The Duleep Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket competition played in India between teams representing geographical zones of India. The competition is named after Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji .-History:...
. After going wicketless in the first innings, he took five in the second, including the wicket of Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Manohar "Sunny" Gavaskar is a former cricketer who played during the 1970s and 1980s for Bombay and India. Widely regarded as one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket history, Gavaskar set world records during his career for the most Test runs and most Test centuries scored by any...
who padded up a to a googly
Googly
In cricket, a googly is a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is occasionally referred to as a Bosie , an eponym in honour of its inventor Bernard Bosanquet.- Explanation :...
.
Siva was immediately noticed and picked for the team to tour Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1982/83 and later to the West Indies. He had played only three first class matches till then. Siva made his Test debut at St. John's
Antigua Recreation Ground
Antigua Recreation Ground is the national stadium of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located in St. John's, on the island of Antigua. The ground has been used by the West Indies cricket team and Antigua and Barbuda national football team...
at the age of 17 years and 118 days. He was the youngest Indian Test cricketer till that point of time. He went wicketless but scored 17 runs in the only innings that he played. In 1984, he toured Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
with the Young India side under Ravi Shastri
Ravi Shastri
Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri is a former Indian cricketer and captain. He was an all–rounder who batted right-handed and bowled left arm spin. His international career started when he was 18 years old and lasted for 12 years...
. Later that year, he bowled himself back to the Indian side taking of 4 for 27 against the visiting English cricket team
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
for the India Under-25.
Rise to the top
Siva's second Test appearance was in the first Test against EnglandEnglish cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
at the Bombay
Wankhede Stadium
The Sheshrao Krushnarao Wankhede Stadium is a cricket stadium in the Indian city of Mumbai. This ground was built after disputes between the Cricket Club of India, which owns the Brabourne Stadium, and the Mumbai Cricket Association over the allocation of tickets for cricket matches...
. His first wicket was Graeme Fowler
Graeme Fowler
Graeme "Foxy" Fowler is a former English professional cricketer, who played for Lancashire, England, and later for Durham...
who was caught and bowled off a full toss. Many of Siva's wickets came off full-tosses and half volleys. He could make the ball dip sharply late in its flight which often made the dismissed batsman look silly. His 6 for 64 and 6 for 117 helped India to an eight wicket win. It was India's first win in a Test match since 1981. Siva took another six wickets in the next innings at Delhi
Feroz Shah Kotla
The Feroz Shah Kotla or Kotla was originally a fortress built by Sultan Ferozshah Tughlaq to house his version of Delhi city called Ferozabad. A pristine polished sandstone pillar from the 3rd century B.C...
. He took only five more wickets in the series.
In the World Championship of Cricket in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the same season, he finished as the top wicket taker. It was a time when spinners, especially leg-spinners, were considered a luxury in one day cricket. A memorable dismissal was of Javed Miandad
Javed Miandad
Mohammad Javed Miandad Khan , popularly known as Javed Miandad , is a former Pakistani cricketer who played between 1975 and 1996. He is Pakistan's leading run scorer in Test cricket. He has served as a captain of the Pakistan national cricket team...
who was stumped off a leg break in the final. Siva did similarly well in the four nations tournament in Sharjah a few weeks later.
Decline and fall
His next season saw a sudden drop of form. He played a Test in Sri Lanka and two in Australia with little success. That was the end of his Test career.He made an unexpected comeback to the 1987 World Cup
1987 Cricket World Cup
The 1987 Cricket World Cup was the fourth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from October 8 to November 8, 1987 in India and Pakistan — the first held outside England. The format was unchanged from 1983 except for a reduction in the number of overs a team played from 60...
team and played in two matches. The only wicket that he took was that of Zimbabwean John Traicos
John Traicos
Athanasios John Traicos is a former cricketer who represented South Africa and Zimbabwe at international level. He was primarily an off spin bowler, and is one of a small number of cricketers to have played at the highest level for more than one country.Traicos was born in Zagazig, Egypt in 1947...
, caught at midwicket by Gavaskar off a full toss.
Siva converted himself into a batsman and continued to play first class cricket on and off for another ten years. He contributed three centuries when Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu cricket team
The Tamil Nadu Cricket Team ; , competes in the Super League of the Ranji Trophy, the top cricketing competition in India. The team finished as runners-up behind Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy in the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons establishing themselves as one of the strongest teams in the country...
won the Ranji trophy in 1987/88. There were frequent reports of a comeback to the national team, but they all proved to be rumours. In his last season he played for Baroda.
Siva's name
With Hugh Bromley-DavenportHugh Bromley-Davenport
Hugh Richard Bromley-Davenport OBE was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Cambridge University between 1892 and 1893 and Middlesex between 1896 and 1898...
, he shares the record for the longest 'supposed' surname among Test cricketers. However, Sivaramakrishan is not his surname at all. He started out as L. Sivaramakrishnan but, as is typical with expanding initialled south Indian names, turning the L to Laxman caused Sivaramakrishnan to appear to be his surname. Sivaramakrishnan is his given name and his father's given name is Laxman and hence he started out as L. Sivaramakrishnan as is common with Tamils to keep the first letter of one's father's first name as initial.