Laxman nixes retirement reports

India's veteran middle-order batsman V.V.S. Laxman has squashed reports of his retirement following his poor performance in the ongoing Test series against Australia.  

Laxman, who has played 133 Tests, has averaged just 17 in the three Tests so far in the series and calls are being made to replace him with young Rohit Sharma. Laxman's lacklustre fielding skills and a recurring back problem have also quelled rumours that he would be the first of the seniors to retire.

After a one-on-one technical session with coach Duncan Fletcher at the WACA Ground here Tuesday, Laxman quashed speculation he was on the verge of retirement.
"When approached by an Indian journalist after the session, the 37-year-old insisted reports of his impending retirement were untrue," the Australian media reported.
Laxman, who is not alone among Indian batsmen who have had little impact on the series, has received the full backing of his team mates and Gautam Gambhir said that it was unfair to single out an individual for India's debacle in the series.

According to reports, Fletcher, who has a poor record in Australia even when he was the England coach, spent the last two days meeting senior players as India hope for a turnaround in the fourth and the final Test in Adelaide.

With India staring at their second 0-4 whitewash in an away Test series in seven months, Fletcher's job is also on the firing line.