VVS Laxman is the new star in the Indian team, especially after the epic 281 against Australia in Kolkata. All his earlier failures with the bat have been forgotten, but this flashy and stylish batsman from Hyderabad still has a lot of things to prove. His career record reads 25 Tests, 1499 runs at an average of 35.69. His second-innings record is far better, 862 runs at 45.36; those two big hundreds against the Aussies (281 at Kolkata and 167 at Sydney) help him beef up that average. Against South Africa, Laxman has played six Tests and scored 194 runs at 21.55; his second innings average is only marginally better, 116 runs at 29.00