Cricket Has Taught Me a Lot About Life” – Former Test Cricketer VVS Laxman
Pune, 29th September 2025: “No matter the circumstances or how big the challenges are, never run away from them. Look at them as opportunities. Face them head-on and success will surely follow,” said former Indian Test cricketer VVS Laxman. He emphasized that cricket has taught him valuable lessons about life.
Padma Shri awardee and former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman was in the city to inaugurate the renovated Vinchurkar Pavilion, entrance gate, and statue of Cricket Doyen D B Deodhar at the PYC Hindu Gymkhana.
The event was held in the presence of members of the Deodhar family — Dr. Deepak Athawale, Vrushali Athawale, and Aditya Pawangadkar.
The President of. PYC HIndu Gymkhana Kumar Tamhane, Hon. Secretary Deepak Gadgil, Joint Secretary Sarang Lagu, former Ranji player Surendra Bhave, former Indian cricketer Kedar Jadhav, Doshi Engineers Director Amit Doshi, club treasurer Chandrashekhar Naniwadekar, Avinash Ranade, Tanmay Agashe, Siddharth Bhave, Abhishek Tamhane, Nandan Dongre, Shirish Sathe, Amod Pradhan, Mahendra Gokhale, Niranjan Godbole, Vinayak Dravid, Jyoti Godbole, Sanyogita Modak, and other dignitaries.
Addressing aspiring cricketers, Laxman gave meaningful advice: “If you want to build a successful career in sports, you must first learn to listen to your inner voice and understand yourself.”
On this occasion, former Maharashtra Ranji team captain Surendra Bhave interviewed the 50-year-old Laxman. During the interview, Laxman opened up about his cricketing journey and shared how cricket had taught him key life lessons.
He said, “I was passionate about cricket from a young age. My parents were doctors, and they gave me five years to try and make a career in cricket. If I hadn’t succeeded at that time, I would have had to switch to a medical career. But I worked hard. For my family, the number of runs I scored was not as important as the effort I put in to chase my dream — and they supported me fully.”
Using examples from his career and personal life, Laxman encouraged everyone not to lose hope. He shared, “My debut in Ranji Trophy was disappointing. Even in international cricket, I had to face many ups and downs. But life always gives you a no-ball — a second chance. You just need to be ready to make the most of the opportunities that come your way.”
Laxman played 134 Test matches, scoring 8,781 runs at an average of 45.97, including 17 centuries and 56 half-centuries. He also represented India in 86 One Day Internationals. In 267 first-class matches, he scored a massive 19,730 runs at an average of 51.64. “I never imagined I would have such a long and successful career,” he said.
Laxman also had a word for cricket selectors: “Selectors must learn to recognize skill and back talented players. I was fortunate to have people like Sachin Tendulkar in my life — and that made this journey possible.”
