Who are some cricketers who are respected by other countries but don't get the same respect in their own country?

The Aussies had massive respect for this man. The Australian bowlers gave nightmares to batsmen around the world. McGrath’s swing was unpredictable, Warne’s spin was unreadable, and Lee’s pace was unplayable, and if you think other bowlers were any less, then that is a misconception. But, Laxman was one batsman who gave them nightmares. He undoubtedly made the best bowling attack struggle on their own turf.

And it was not only the Aussies who his wrath, be it Kiwi bowlers or the Pakistani pacers, it was the same scene. His classy batting made the experienced bowlers look like novices. And hence, the best players all around the world respect him.

But unfortunately, it is his own countrymen who don’t really understand what he as a player was.

I remember reading a comment on one of my answer about Laxman in which the commenter said, “What’s so great about him? All he could do was defend balls. He can’t hit fours and sixes as Sehwag does.” And unfortunately, many people agreed with him.

That is the problem. All we value are those fours and big sixes. Any player who hits the gym twice a day can whack those sixes, you don’t need a skilled a batsman, even bowlers are hitting quick runs these days. But it takes a monk’s patience to defend balls and punish the bowler every time he bowls a bad ball. Laxman was that monk.

He never strived for the limelight. He was happy with the little attention he got. And he always put the interest of the team ahead of his own interest. He perhaps was the best batting partner anyone could ask for, bowlers like Kumble, Harbhajan and Ishant have also batted well with him on the other end of the crease.

Sachin was always in the limelight. Dada’s captaincy got him fans all over the country. The advent of social media made fans realise how good a player Dravid is. Sehwag always stole the attention with his batting and he too has a great number of fans. It is Laxman who never got the respect he deserved. But he never complained.

Or as Harsha Bhogle would aptly put it, “He is always the artist, never the superstar.”