Give me a good reason on why they should be included. He wasn't an opener in FC cricket either and as a 22 year old, he was forced to do so against Donald, Pollock, Ambrose and Bishop. In the following seasons, he opened against Akram, Akhtar, Mcgrath and once again Donald and Pollock. What do you expect a makeshift opener to do ?
That is only if we ignore all the innings where he did benefit from downhill skiing including those innings where he saved India.
I have never held Laxman struggling as an opener against him relative to another middle order player in Pietersen. But his disadvantage there is overwhelmed overall by batting at 5 and 6 so much. Overall, the effects of batting position are in KP's favour within this debate.
No they don't. VVS averages almost 50 for a much longer period than KP's entire career as a MOB. And those runs counting for VVS but him not being downgraded for them makes no sense at all.
Wut.
This is special pleading.
Which KP did to a greater extent. KP averaged 44 against an Aus side transitioning to mediocrity. VVS averaged 49 against the GOAT side and played the GOAT innings against them. KP cashed in big time against Bangladesh whereas VVS didn't.
Of course we dont judge Laxman badly based on failing as an opener. But its another thing to remove those failure from his record entirely.
It makes no sense to fault someone for this when compared to someone who didn't have to go through it at all. Averages don't exist in a vacuum. Surface level analysis.
It depends on who you are comparing with. With KP who played all his career in middle order except for a solitary innings, it makes no sense.
Contradiction.
Which team is that? KP averaged 53 in 10 tests against an ATG Australia, including their best ever team in Australia in 2006.
Do you remove these record for other batsmen who may have started their careers way down the order or as opener? We don't remove Tendulkar and Wasim's career stats their teenage years in these comparisons either.
Mmm, and this isn't cherry picking? VVS from 2001 to 2003 dumps on this anyway. VVS played peak Australia a lot more and did better.
To be fair that doesn't affect KP's average much simply because he only played four tests against them. He did however fill his boots against a horrendous West Indies side, and yeah Laxman never did much against Ban/Zim unlike most Asian legends of the time.
It doesnt because as they point out, he batted down the order more than KP's entire career.
I do when comparing them to guys who had careers half as long. I am fully consistent in this and have argued for this in favour of Colin ****ing Cowdrey. Speak for yourself. And you keep saying it shouldn't be held against VVS but then say it counts.. which doesn't make any sense. You are directly contradicting yourself.
Oh 2003 when McWarne was not available? That is peak Australia?
