Laxman will be missed: Mahela

Sri Lanka cricket team captain Mahela Jayawardene on Monday said world cricket will miss Indian cricketer VVS Laxman who retired from international cricket recently.

He also called Laxman as one of the finest cricketers of ´our times´.

"Laxman was one of the finest players of our times and world cricket will miss him," Jayawardene said during a media interaction here.

He said Laxman ´had contributed a lot´ to cricket and also to India´s success in the game.

"He has contributed a lot to the game and to his country´s success," he said.

Laxman announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this month ending a glorious cricket career that spanned for 16 years.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had selected Laxman in the Indian team for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.

However, he surprised his fans by deciding to retire from international cricket with immediate affect on August 18.

After making his Test debut against South Africa in 1996, Laxman went on to play 134 Test matches and scored 8781 runs.

He hit 17 centuries in his Test career.

His glorious innings of 281 runs against Australia at the Eden Gardens in 2001 will always be remembered as one of the best innings played by him.

Laxman scored 2338 runs in 86 One Day International (ODI) matches.

He hit 6 centuries with a top score of 131 runs.

He was a part of the renowned batting quartet that comprised of other three icons Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.