I think VVS Laxman had a brilliant career. While outsiders know only VVS the player, the guys who played alongside him also know VVS the human being. He's a brilliant person, very soft spoken, very dedicated, focused and determined. Someone who always wanted to do something special for India.
If one has to speak of his talent, what can I say about those drives, those flicks. Half the world thinks he's going to play a cover drive and he decides to play an on-drive. This is God's gift to him and I have to say he's managed to look after his gift rather well.
He's always respected the game and would not take anything for granted. That is so important to be a successful sportsman. I feel, on the whole, that he played some important innings at important stages for India.
There is one aspect of his game that wasn't discussed much and that was his catching ability. He had such beautiful hands and he was a very safe fielder. It's going to be tough to replace him in the slip cordon, where we have lost Rahul (Dravid) too. They were a couple 
With VVS, it is definitely going to be difficult for us to not to have him in the team. His absence in the dressing room is going to be difficult to deal with and will take some getting used to. A special player will always be a special player and we will continue to think of him on every occasion.
I can definitely say I will miss him in the dressing room. I have had some wonderful partnerships with him and thoroughly enjoyed batting with him. He was someone who rotated strike well and played some great shots.
We spoke a lot about cricket; discussed the game quite a bit. It was fun to have him around and talk not just cricket but general stuff too. We shared jokes, laughed a lot together. I will cherish all those things.
While he may not be around on the field, we are very good friends off it and we will continue to meet somewhere and that will be times to look forward to. The Indian team will certainly miss him.
(As told to Satish Viswanathan)
© TOI
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