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'It's an honour to beat a legend's record'

Indore, March 30, 14:45 hours IST: The Indian team was out at the nets, practising for the 3rd One Day International against Australia. Hence, V V S Laxman got into the Chat a bit late, but none of his many fans who had logged in grudged him the slight delay.

rediff.com : Hi guys! We're live from Indore and VVS Laxman will join us in the next fifteen minutes. The team has just returned from a strenuous training session to the hotel. So please hang in there.

rediff.com : Okay guys! VVS Laxman is here. Please shoot!

VVS Laxman : HI guys! I'm glad to be here on rediff chat and am glad to answer your questions.

TinkerBell : Hi Laxman, how different has ur recent success against the Ausssies made u as a player?
VVS Laxman : I am more confident and more positive after the recent test series.

rohit : hi laxman! how does it feel to have beaten sunil gavaskar's record?
VVS Laxman : Obviously it is a great honour to beat a legend's record.

RunOut : Hi Laxman, Congrats on finding your true place in Indian cricket.
VVS Laxman : Thanks a lot and I hope that I do well consistently for India.

VVS_Laxman : Did any advertisement companies visited U, after ur recent success
VVS Laxman : Not as of now. I haven't been approached by any of the sponsors.

priya : Hi Laxman. Thanks for the great entertainment throughout the series. You did us proud. Which form of cricket do you find more challenging - Test cricket or one day? Best Wishes.
VVS Laxman : Thanks for your wishes. Both forms of cricket excite me and I'm really striving hard to perform in both versions of the game.

rahul78 : how difficult is it scoring big runs in international cricket than in ranji matches, which you have always done?
VVS Laxman : Obviously the attack is more competitive and they don't give lose balls easily.

ashish : Hi Laxman,How do you feel when 70000-80000 people giving you moral support on your way to your centuary in a crucial match? And how u shows ur emotions to these people?
VVS Laxman : There was a lot of suppport and encouragement from the crowd and it was unbelievable and it motivated me and Rahul to do well especially on the fourth day of the Kolkata test match.

Mohammed : Laxman can you help India to win again in ODI against Austrailia
VVS Laxman : I will be working hard and hopefully if I can play a match-winning innings I will be really glad. But cricket is a team game and one person can't win the game.

Manas : Laxman I knew that you were also brilliant student. But how did you came to Cricket?
VVS Laxman : I always had the passion for the game and I got a lot of opportunities and I kept on performing and I thought that I can play for India and that's why I chose cricket as a profession. I wanted to be a doctor but cricket won me over.

praveenaa : Australians are one of finest teams what did u learn from them...
VVS Laxman : I learnt to be positive in my approach to the game. Actually the Indian team tuaght me much more than any other bunch of crickters in the last two test matches. The fighting spirit was unmatched and we were really hungry to succeed.

sweettania : wat r ur other fave sports???
VVS Laxman : I like playing badminton and squash. And i also like watching tennis, especially Wimbledon. I admire Steffi Graf and Boris Becker.

kneofyte : Pranam Laxman.Who was your source of inspiration over the yaers of playing cricket?
VVS Laxman : My parents, my brother and my uncle, and also my coaches. Without them I wouldn't be where I am right now.

am23 : contra. laxman, what is ur future plan
VVS Laxman : In the next one year there are a lot of series, especially overseas. So, if I can perform consistently for the team and be a part of a winnning unit abroad it will be a great satisfaction for me.

kkkkkkkkkk : so u r marriage....any plans....?
VVS Laxman : If I do find the right kind of girl, Im sure I'll tie the knot tomorrow itself.(laughing)

nandmenon : VVS, hope to see ya in cracking form when u get sown to SA in sept/oct this year. time to kick some protea butt as well!
VVS Laxman : The entire team is looking to that tour because that will be a great challenge and personally for me, if I can get big scores there it will be a satisfying tour.

Rituraj_g : DO U THINK OUR FIELDING SIDE IS SATISFYING?
VVS Laxman : We have been really working hard on that aspect of the game and the results have shown, especially in the close-in catching. And I'm sure that over a period of time we will become an even better fielding unit.

sandtyagi : hi laxman..first of all.. congrats on breaking the record.. and my question is "do u think u'll be equally successful on fast pitches like those are in south africa?"
VVS Laxman : I thought that I batted well in Australia where the wickets are fast and bouncy. And my 167 proved that I can play well on the bouncy tracks. In fact I enjoy batting on Aussie wickets than the Indian tracks becasue the ball comes onto the bat and the bounce is even. And also you can play more strokes than you can play in India.

baliga : are u an invitee to jadeja's wedding.
VVS Laxman : Yes, the entire team has been invited by Ajay Jadeja. We would have loved to be there but we are playing a game tomorrow.

arijitganguly : what do you think about the bad performance of Sourav?
VVS Laxman : Sourav has done so well for India in the past 4 years. Every great player goes through a bad patch, but knowing him it is just a matter of time when he starts getting big scores, which he is used to, but at the same time he is enjoying the team's success.

abhifromdallas : what is your fav food?
VVS Laxman : I love continental food. But I also relish the food prepared by my mother (typical South Indian food). And am looking forward to eating home-made food after the series is over and we all go home.

Sanjith : Hi laxman First of all I wish to congratulate u for a superb show of Will and Determination the whole Cricket community will bow with respect to ur invincible Achievement,whats the Spirit behind it?
VVS Laxman : The whole team worked hard before the start of the series and we were all well prepared for the series. But the partnership between Hayden and Gilchrist took away the game from us in Bombay and everyone just started criticising the team. So we were all very keen to do well in the remaining part of the series. That gave me the inspiration to do well. Also I would say that the crowd support in Kolkata despite our 1st innings collapse was awe inspiring. I think the whole of India was behind us to win the test match against the odds.

Sud : Which is your favourite ground
VVS Laxman : There are quite a few favourite grounds for me. But I always enjoyed playing at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. Sydney and Eden Gardens, Kolkatta are also special to me because I got my maiden test hundred and double hundred on these grounds respectively.

kuttu : plz answer to my Q, what is ur opinoin about captain and the coach
VVS Laxman : Both, John and Sourav, are doing a great job. And both are very positive and innovative. And the atmosphere in the dressing room is brilliant.

reethika shetty : hi vvs! i'm a great fan of indian cricket and it saddens me to see u guys keep quiet when the aussies throw words at you guys. why dont you'll report these to the match refree?
VVS Laxman : Frist of all, you are wrong that we keep quite on the field. I can't tell you what we say but I can tell oyu that we give them a mouthful too. And that is why they are giving it back to us. So it is no point complaining to the match referee.

mangesh21 : what is ur strength
VVS Laxman : My parents. And luckily for me I have a lot fo well-wishers like you who encourage me even in my tough times.

Churaliya_Tumne : Hi VVS Laxman,I am Sriram Karri from Satyam Computers, Hyderabad. Formerly Deccan Chronicle. Congrats. Everyone here is proud of you. I even called your mother to congratulate you. How does it feel to be a superstar? Does it effect your otherwise modest self of a guy who can go to Kamat for Lunch with his parents etc?Sriram
VVS Laxman : Thanks Sriram. I don't think I will change as a person and all I would like to concentrate on is to do well and improve on my performance. And regarding going to Kamat for lunch, it is one fo my favourite places and I will continue going there even now.

mangesh21 : which is ur favorite film,actor,actress,song and a singer
VVS Laxman : Jerry MacGuire is my favourite film. And my favourite actor is Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan. As for the actresses, Aishwarya Rai is a personal favourite. I love listening to S Balasubraniam, and am proud that I know him personally.

rahuldravid : Hi VVS, did u meet Gopichand after his vitory? What did u two champions say toeach other?
VVS Laxman : I haven't met Gopichand personally but I spoke to him when I was in Bangalore. And I told him how proud I was being his friend. He has done the entire nation proud. He was very happy for me too and congratulated me on my performance. I look forward to meeting him when I go back home after the series is over.

Cricketfreak : hi Laxman. I am 14 years old and I have a question to ask. Do you still think that Shane Warne is very good after the beating he received? Also, from where did you learn the excellent wrist batting?
VVS Laxman : Shane, definitely is a top class bowler and I am sure that the next time he bowls to me he will come back strongly at me. Regarding the wristy batting, it came naturally to me.

siddarth : Laxman--- I have a question-- before you go out to bat-- do you set any targets-- for example-- today is a qucik fire 50 sort of a day or today I am going to stay at the wicket all day, etc--
VVS Laxman : Obviously this is a team game and whatever the team requires we are supposed to perform likewise. So if the team requires a quickfire fifty from me. I will apporach the game with that mindset. For example during the Kolkatta test, on the fourth day the team demamnded that I stay at the crease all day and I did. On the fifth day they demanded quick runs and I went for it irrespective fo the personal landmark that i was approaching.

swissalps1176 : don't u think by changing batting order betwen u and dravid. its has done good for indian team?
VVS Laxman : Personally for me its been a great move because I always batted at the number three slot, since my childhood. But for the team I feel Rahul has also done consistently well for the last four years and has averaged a healthy 50 plus. That alone proves his contribution. But Rahul is very happy for me and there are absolutely no hassles.

VELURI : LAXMAN WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE POLITICAL LEADER VAJPAYEE OR SONIA
VVS Laxman : Definitely, Chandrababu Naidu because for the simple fact that he is doing such a great job for Andhra Pradesh and you can see tremendous improvement in the whole state.

vvikas : Do you agree with the fact that u have been given more chances as compare to others
VVS Laxman : Yes, I feel that the selectors ahve been very kind to me by giving me chances to come back in the Indian team, but at the same time I thought i did well in the domestic circuit which made the selctors believe that I had the talent and potential to do well at the highest level.

ajith71 : I had bet with my roomie(VikramRao) in US that you will be a hero, and this series will change your career, you will become an alltime great......Your talent is so obvious?. Do you feel often is it being advantegeous being a bit late in making one's mark in world cricket, like Malcolm Marshall, Steve waugh, Martin Crowe etc, who had average start to their test careers, then became greats?.
VVS Laxman : First of all thanks for having faith in my abilities. I hope that even my career goes the same way as the illustrious names you have mentioned here. But all I can say is that the alst three-four years have been a great learning experience for me and I hope that this experience helps me in my career.

VVS Laxman : Okay guys, I have to rush for a team meeting. I wish I could stay abck and answer all your questions but its not possible. Hope to see you again soon on rediff. And please keep your faith in this team alive and back us. We will deliver the goods. Cheers!

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