karan_fromthestands
State Captain
By players "like" Laxman, I mean the ones who deliver more often in unfavourable conditions and crunch situations and don't make the most of their opportunities in average games.
Laxman's name doesn't even come up when people pick India's ATG Test XI, but his best performances have always come when the batting is in deep crisis or the conditions are totally in favour of the bowlers. I mean he succeeds where most(or all) others would fail. All great players make others around them look a little ordinary, but with Laxman, it was slightly different, he generally looked lesser than the batters around him, but he would just turn it around in games that are really tough, or almost impossible to win.
For example his contribution in India's victory over SA in Durban.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...frica-vs-india-2nd-test-463147/full-scorecard
While the other batsmen from both sides were highly uncomfortable batting on that wicket, Laxman looked totally at home. This is a top quality innings that rarely gets discussed.
I am not saying that VVS was better or less talented in comparison with X or Y player, but it's really difficult to rate players like him and it's a shame that his name doesn't pop up much when we talk about great players. The easier way to judge him is to look at his stats and say that there are better records, but his contributions have been way more than what you see on paper.
Laxman's name doesn't even come up when people pick India's ATG Test XI, but his best performances have always come when the batting is in deep crisis or the conditions are totally in favour of the bowlers. I mean he succeeds where most(or all) others would fail. All great players make others around them look a little ordinary, but with Laxman, it was slightly different, he generally looked lesser than the batters around him, but he would just turn it around in games that are really tough, or almost impossible to win.
For example his contribution in India's victory over SA in Durban.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...frica-vs-india-2nd-test-463147/full-scorecard
While the other batsmen from both sides were highly uncomfortable batting on that wicket, Laxman looked totally at home. This is a top quality innings that rarely gets discussed.
I am not saying that VVS was better or less talented in comparison with X or Y player, but it's really difficult to rate players like him and it's a shame that his name doesn't pop up much when we talk about great players. The easier way to judge him is to look at his stats and say that there are better records, but his contributions have been way more than what you see on paper.
