Former India batter VVS Laxman was one of the very few highly acclaimed Test batters, including the likes of Australia’s Justin Langer and England’s Alastair Cook to have never been handed an opportunity of playing in an ICC Cricket World Cup. As expected, Laxman was disappointed with former India captain Sourav Ganguly for 2003 World Cup snub, and had put in the hard yards to stake a claim for his inclusion in the squad four years later as well. However, it was just not meant to be.
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The fact that the right-handed batter had even thought of retiring from the sport altogether post his exclusion from India’s squad in 2003 is evident enough how his manifestation of this particular dream had fallen short of realizing the desired result.
Outside of the field, it also didn’t allow him to buy a luxurious BMW X5 series car which he had though of acquiring as a personal incentive as per a promise made to former India batter Virender Sehwag.
Failing To Play 2003 And 2007 ODI World Cups, VVS Laxman Bought A Much Cheaper Toyota Corolla Rather Than BMW X5
The realization of the aforementioned dream was big enough for Laxman to equate its worth to the possession of a dream car for majority of the general populace – The BMW X5. Not that he didn’t have the money to buy a BMW or a player becomes excessively richer by participating in a World Cup, but gifting himself a BMW was perhaps a reward for achieving a life goal.
During the launch of Laxman’s autobiography named ‘281 And Beyond’ in the year 2018, Sehwag had revealed how Laxman had promised to buy himself a BMW X5 if he would be provided an opportunity to play the World Cup. With the dream failing to transition into reality, he had to settle with a much cheaper Toyota Corolla.
“There was this one dream [VVS] Laxman had, that if he plays the World Cup, he will buy a BMW X5 car. He didn’t, and now he has a Toyota Corolla. So I said, ‘C’mon man! You can afford it’. But he said, ‘No, I didn’t play the World Cup, so I won’t buy it.’
Who Were Preferred Ahead Of VVS Laxman in Indian World Cup Squads?
Ahead of 2003 World Cup, former India batter Dinesh Mongia was picked ahead of Laxman in the Indian squad. Reason being that not only was Mongia a better fielder than Laxman but he was also a decent part-time spin bowling option for skipper Ganguly.
A few impressive performances off the bat of Robin Uthappa in his young ODI career, and the inclusion of Dinesh Karthik as a reserve wicket-keeper batter alongside MS Dhoni had meant that Laxman was not a name running in the minds of the selectors ahead ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. If truth be told, he didn’t really have a chance in 2007 on the back of playing just three ODIs since the start of 2005.
Did VVS Laxman Buy A BMW Later In Life?
Although Laxman, in the above video, did claim that he never purchased the BMW X5, several media reports suggest that he does own the BMW 5 series luxury car. Along with this very model of the renowned company, he also has a Nissan Kick car parked in his garage worth around INR 14 lakh.
While there’s no information as to when Laxman had purchased the BMW, it cost him around INR 70 lakh while the X5 series (which he did not buy as promised) costs around INR 95 lakh as per reports.
