Meet our future India player.” Vishala B Laxmana still remembers the words of her husband B Laxman, who was introducing Ravi Shastri to her during their April 29, 1979 wedding reception at KC College, Churchgate. A brain stroke caused 75-year-old Laxman’s death a day before their 42nd wedding anniversary.

Laxman was a courageous batsman, who paraded his skills for State Bank of India on the inter-office circuit and Karnatak Sporting Association in club cricket, as well as Elphinstone and New Evergreen clubs. He came to Mumbai from Mangalore and the late cricket writer Pradeep Vijayakar wrote in The Evening News of India on July 23, 1980 that Laxman was called up for Mysore (now Karnataka) but chose to pursue his studies. This was mentioned in a report which hailed Laxman for outscoring his State Bank of India colleagues Ajit Wadekar and Hanumant Singh while batting with them for his brilliant 155 against Bank of India in the 1979-80 Times Shield season. And a newspaper report of the 1969-70 Inter-Bank final against Union Bank at PJ Hindu Gymkhana, said that two of his sixes during his 141 in 110 minutes, “landed in the middle of Marine Drive. The ball was lost off the third [six] and a similar old ball had to be chosen to continue the innings”.