Laxman should have played more: Srinath

BANGALORE: Among the many Mysoreans who watched VVS Laxman take apart KSCA President's XI on August 7 and 8, scoring a brilliant 169 from 207 balls, was his former India teammate Javagal Srinath, who was present in his capacity as the secretary of the host association, the KSCA, but became a fan all over again. "It was a real privilegewatching him in the Shafi Darashah, he was in the zone. Having seen him playthat day, it becomes even more difficult to accept that he has retired," Srinathtold TOI on Saturday hours after Laxman called an immediate end to hisillustrious career. That in a way lent weight to what Laxmaninsisted on right through his press conference in Hyderabad: that it was a calltaken in the last three to four days, not earlier. He was a man preparinghimself for the grind ahead with no thoughts of retirement as his frequentvisits to the NCA in Bangalore also indicated. No wonder Srinath wasmore than a bit surprised. "I wish he could have played more, at least inHyderabad (for the opening Test against New Zealand) but we have to honour andrespect the timing of his decision," he said.