India’s late legend Shankar Laxman has the unique distinction of being the lone Goalkeeper captain who won gold at the Asian Games.
India, Pakistan and Korea are the three teams who have won Gold in the Asian games, but Laxman is the lone goalie.
Goals corers, like centre-forwards have often been unanimous choice to lead national teams, though in the later stages senior players, popular ones ascended to the throne.
When Shankar Laxman was chosen to lead India for the 1966 Asian Games, he became the first goalie to lead the national side in the world.
Shankar Laxman could thus break the mindset because of his great skills and matching winning ability. Two years ago before the Bangkok Asian Games where India won its maiden Gold in three Asian Games, Shankar was instrumental in India regaining the Olympic gold, with extraordinary show of confidence under the bar. It was he who help India win back to Olympic Gold at Tokyo Olympics.
The solidity of his performance, humility and his popularity all helped to create new vista, world’s first goalkeeper captain.
When India takes on Pakistan today at Incheon, role played by Shankar in our first Asian games win is all but natural.