VVS Laxman comes back to India test squad

V V S Laxman was given a chance to extend his international test career after being named Friday in India's squad for 2 home Tests against New Zealand.

The stylish middle-order batsman, 37, had been under weight to retain his place after a dismal performance in India's last Test series in Australia early this year.

Laxman managed just 155 runs with one half-century in 8 innings in the series, averaging 19.37 which was much below his generally average of 45.97 in 134 matches.

He has so far scored 8,781 Test match runs with 17 centuries.56 half century’s

He has so for scored 2338 ODI match runs with 6 century’s and 10 half century’s.

Laxman,Dhoni,Centuries.the second Test against a hapless.

Kolkata: Venkatsai Laxman and Mahindra Singh Dhoni led India's run-spree with excellent centuries to put their team in control on the second day of the second Test aligned with a hapless West Indies on Tuesday.

Middle-order batsman Laxman beat a stylish 176 not out and skipper Dhoni a robust 144 as India post a very big 631-7 declared in their first innings at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The West Indies falter in reply, feat 34-2 when play was called off due to bad light. Kirk Edwards was winning on 12 and Darren Bravo on four not out.

Indian seamer Umesh Yadav struck in his first over while he have Adrian Barath (one) caught by Virender Sehwag at next slip before off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin indifferent Kraigg Brathwaite (17), caught by Gautam Gambhir at short-leg.Laxman hit 12 fours in his 17th Test hundred, and the fifth at this place, while Dhoni shattered five sixes and 10 fours in his fifth Test century as India nonstop to gather runs happily against both pace and spin.

The duo bear the West Indies' bowling borders on a slow pitch with a 224-run stand for the seventh wicket as the hosts additional 285 runs to their suddenly total of 346-5. It was India's second-highest total in Tests aligned with the West Indies, their best being 644-7 stated at Kanpur in 1979.It was a demoralising day for the West Indies, who can get now two wickets in added than two session as none of their bowlers could danger Laxman and Dhoni.

Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, paceman Kemar Roach, seamer Darren Sammy and recreational off-spinner Marlon Samuels all accepted more than 100 run in a middling West Indies' bowling concert.Dhoni dominated the big stand with Laxman with rich pat play. He reaches his century - his first since February 2010 - in the afternoon with an only to long-off off part-time spinner Brathwaite.

The Indian skipper, immovable at the back off Roach no-balls when on 13 and 16, punish the spinners as he loft Bishoo and Samuels over long-on for sixes previous to hitting Brathwaite for two sixes in an over.Dhoni was immovable behind in the last session directly after hitting Roach for his fifth six. Laxman, 73 immediately, finished his hundred with a beautiful shot; flicking Sammy stuck between mid-on and mid-wicket for a four.

The West Indies relied on fast bowlers Fidel Edwards and Roach in the break of day in an offer to put force on India, but the duo go wicketless with the second new ball. The tourist lone achievement in the morning conference came when Sammy attentive Yuvraj Singh leg-before for 25 after the batsman had extra 50 for the sixth wicket with Laxman.Yuvraj, difficult to cement his place in the Test side, did not look relaxed during his short stay at the crease, tested by Edwards and Roach with short-pitched delivery.

The left-handed batsman was once strike on the bear by an Edwards’s bouncer previous to being dismissed by Sammy. India leads 1-0 in the three-Test series follow their five-wicket win in the opening match in New Delhi.

Rahul Dravid and VVS laxman good batting India show in Kolkata Test.

Kolkata: Rahul Dravid cracked a luminous 119 to put India on course for a big total on the opening day of the Secant Test match  West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

The 38-year-old batsman hit two sixes and nine fours in his 36th Test hundred and the fifth of the year, as the hosts reach 346-5 in their first innings at stumps later than winning the toss on a good bat pitch. Only India's Sachin Tendulkar (51), South African Jacques Kallis (40) and Australian Ricky Ponting (39) have score more Test centuries than Dravid. India lead 1-0 in the three-Test series follows their five-wicket win in the opening match in New Delhi.

Dravid not at all looked in danger in his 207-ball knock, impress with his shot-selection during his long stay at the fold to put India in a sturdy position with three precious partnerships. He additional 83 runs for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir (65), 56 used for the next with Sachin Tendulkar and 140 for the fourth wicket with VVS Laxman, who was winning with a solid 73 when bad light closed play.

Dravid finished his hundred when he bowed a no-ball from paceman Kemar Roach at the back square-leg for a four before inside-edging unpaid spinner Kraigg Brathwaite's freedom on to his stumps in the day's last but one over. India lost one more wicket when nightwatchman Ishant Sharma was caught following off Roach. Laxman, who complete an unbeaten 58 in the last Test, has so far hit five fours in his second succeeding half-century.

Tendulkar, who wants just one hundred to entire an unprecedented 100th international century, had been batting self-assuredly before falling for 38, pulling leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo to Marlon Samuels at mid-wicket. Dravid sustained to bat contentedly against both pace and spin, lofting Bishoo over long-off and part-time spinner Samuels over long-on for sixes.Tendulkar, who has also scored 48 hundreds in one-day internationals, look in brilliant form as he turned Fidel Edwards to fine-leg for his first four and then throng Roach through the covers for one more boundary.

He survive a convinced appeal for leg-before on 25 while attempt to sweep Bishoo before being dismiss by the same bowler in the daylight session, much to the displeasure of nearly 10,000 audience. The West Indies struggle for success on a pitch which had small in it for the bowlers, with seamer Darren Sammy, Edwards, Bishoo, Roach and Brathwaite each taking one wicket.Gambhir fell to a loose shot, powerful an Edwards release straight to Adrian Barath at short cover after addition eight runs to his lunch score of 57. He hit eight fours in his 17th half-century in 43 Tests.

India got off to a frozen start as Gambhir and forceful Virender Sehwag (38) put on 66 in 12.1 overs for the opening wicket. Sehwag played some beautiful shots against the West Indies pace attack, beating eight fours in his brisk 33-ball knock before driving Sammy at once to Barath at short mid-wicket.