Let's examine some of two options below further
1. Tendulkar, Dravid and Sehwag
2. Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman / Ganguly
playing the combination one, we are likely to get 247 test runs in a test
Sachin - 80
Dravid - 83
Sehwag - 84
playing the other combination, we are likely to get 226 test runs in a test
Sachin - 80
Dravid - 83
Laxman / Ganguly - 63 [their avg]
examining further the Sehwag vs Laxman case, in the games that they both have played together
Sachin- 80
Dravid - 83
Sehwag - 86
so thats 249 runs
Sachin - 80
Dravid - 83
Laxman - 59
so thats 222 runs
that probed me to ask myself that why would a rational mind want Laxman over Sehwag and be at a loss? clearly, the majority have settled for a loss .... is it because of what Laxman did in 40 more tests that he has played with Sehwag not around? .... Let's find out
in 53 tests that Laxman and Sehwag have played together
Laxman - 3141 runs, 7 100s, avg 43 .... 59 runs per test, 39 runs per inning
Sehwag - 4563 runs, 14 100s, avg 52 .... 86 runs per test [Sobers like], 51 runs per inning
Laxman
career - 5785 runs, 93M @ 62 runs per test
w/ Sehwag - 3141R, 53M @ 59 runs per test
w/o Sehwag - 2644, 40M @ 66 runs per test
Career
Sehwag - 4818R, 57M @ 84
Laxman - 5785R, 93M @ 62
the difference 967 runs in 40 games @ 24 runs per test!!!! so Laxman has played 40 more tests than Sehwag but only has 967 more runs than him!!!!!!!
there is no comparison but still a majority went for Laxman and settled for a loss. why is that? I assume that ppl get imprinted with the first impression and then use it as an anchor to make their decisions. clearly, it's not stats or performances that have determined the choice but its the impression and preference [like the batting style]
I guess many imagined Laxman best inning of 281, along with the form he was in that period, to make the judgment, while they imagined Sehwag throwing his wkt away irresponsibly, may be along with the bad patch he went through in 2007 to judge that Laxman is a better option, even when they are at a loss selecting him!!!!!!!! May be they told themselves that Laxman would do better in bowler friendly conditions, even though it could be a 50 hit in a losing cause and even when Sehwag has a good record in most conditions
despite having the ability to think rationally, we sometimes are guided by the anchors that are imprinted in our minds, along with preferences, to become predictably irrational