VVS Laxman all set to retire: Reports

Stylish India batsman VVS Laxman is mulling retirement from international cricket, according to the Hindu newspaper.

Laxman is part of India’s Test squad against New Zealand, with the first of the two Tests to begin in Hyderabad, Laxman's home city. The veteran batsman is likely to retire after that match or after the second Test in Bangalore, although there has been no official confirmation from the BCCI or the Hyderabad Cricket Association so far.

"A final decision will be taken about the exact details of my plans by this [Friday] evening," the newspaper had quoted Laxman as saying on Friday.

The India batsman is likely to retire after the first Test against New Zealand starting August 23 in Hyderabad.

The 37-year-old is reportedly hurt by comments that he is blocking the chances of youngsters.

Laxman made his Test debut in 1996 against South Africa and since then played 134 Tests scoring 8781 runs, including 17 centuries and 56 fifties. He also played 86 ODIs scoring 2338 runs with six hundreds.

There has been intense speculation regarding the future of the Hyderabadi stylist after he managed a meagre 154 runs in eight innings during India's disastrous tour of Australia.

Laxman's tour of England was also disappointing and calls for retirement reached crescendo after India's eight consecutive Test losses.

With Laxman's retirement, only Sachin Tendulkar will remain among the golden generation of Indian cricketers after the retirements of Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.

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