With the future of India's ageing batting line-up under intense scrutiny, Sportal understands that VVS Laxman has no intentions of retiring any time soon.
Laxman, 37, is believed to want to keep playing Test cricket for the remainder of this calendar year before almost certainly calling it quits at the end of India's four-Test home series against England which starts in November.
It's also understood that Sachin Tendulkar will continue playing in the foreseeable future but uncertainty still surrounds the fate of Rahul Dravid.
If Laxman's wishes are granted, he would only have a maximum of 10 Tests to go in his stellar career with the Indians scheduled to play a three-Test series in Sri Lanka in July and August before hosting New Zealand for three Tests in August and September as well.
The gifted Laxman has been a match winner for India for more than a decade, having played 134 Tests and scored 8781 runs at an average of 45.97.
But like many of his team-mates he had a wretched time of it in the recently completed 4-0 series whitewash in Australia, mustering just 155 runs at a lowly average of 19.37.
The veteran right-hander was unable to establish any rhythm or form against the home side's disciplined bowling and intelligent field placements and no doubt in part hamstrung by an ongoing right knee problem.
Laxman had been the subject of retirement speculation late in the series with unsubstantiated rumours floating about that BCCI officials had asked him to quit, but the Hyderabadi wants to go out on his own terms.
Earlier today, Virender Sehwag, India's acting captain in the fourth Test at Adelaide Oval which Australia won by 298 runs, backed his side's under-siege veterans, declaring none of them should quit at this stage.
"I don't think there is a need for retirement of any player in this team," Sehwag said.
"They will take their call when they're needed and when they think their time is up."
India media manager GS Walia, meanwhile, hit out at 'baseless' media speculation that any member of the team had retired after the Adelaide Test.
"The team takes note of the stories in the media suggesting the imminent retirement of a member of the India team," said Walia, reading from a prepared statement.
"We would like to clarify that situation by stating categorically that these are not correct and are baseless."
"No further questions on this."
When prompted, Walia and Sehwag declined to name the player at the centre of the rumours, but it is believed to be Dravid after reports emerged from the subcontinent late Friday and early Saturday that the 39-year-old had told team-mates he was pulling up stumps on his grand international career.
Dravid, Test cricket's second greatest run scorer behind Tendulkar, had a poor series, averaging just 24.25 and having his stumps knocked over six times in eight dismissals.
When interviewed by Channel Nine during the match, Dravid, the oldest member of India's touring party, said he wasn't thinking about retirement but was taking a 'let's see what happens' approach, noting that India's next Test series is several months away.