Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman commonly known as V. V. S. Laxman, is a former Indian cricketer. Laxman represented Hyderabad in domestic cricket and played for Lancashire in English county cricket. He was the captain of the Deccan Chargers team in the Indian Premier League in its first year before being replaced by Adam Gilchrist for the next year. In 2011, Laxman was awarded the Padma Shri award, India's fourth highest civilian award from the Government of India. VVS Laxman's knock of 281 against Australia in Eden Gardens in 2001 has been rated as the greatest Test performance of the last 50 years. He was born on 1 November 1974 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. He completed his schooling at Little Flower High School in Hyderabad and joined medicine after that. But he preferred career in cricket to that in medicine. 

He made his test debut on 20th November 1996 against South Africa team and ODI debut on 9th April 1998 against Zimbabwe team. In IPL seasons 2008, 2009 and 2010 he played for Deccan Chargers and in 2011 he played for Kochi Tuskers Kerala.He started his career in cricket when he played for U 19 team against Australia in February 1994. He scored 88 not out in his first innings and was shot to limelight. In the second game he got 151 in the first innings and 77 in the second to drive the team to victory. His first class debut was for Hyderabad team in the 1992-93 Ranji Trophy season in which he played against Punjab in the quarter final. Then he found a place in the South Zone team that played in the 1994-95 Duleep Trophy. He showed remarkable performance in that season.His continuous shots gained him a place in the national team. He was in good form from 1996 to 2004. After that he failed to perform well and scored duck in few matches. He returned to form in the end of 2005 and in the test match against South Africa in November 2006 he scored 73 in the second innings leading India to victory. In 2007, he crossed the 5000 run mark. He received the Arjuna Award, by the Government of India in recognition of his outstanding achievement in sports, 2001.