Wastemen etc

[vcs]

Sachin has also employed that strategy successfully on a couple of occasions.. the infamous Sydney 2008 Test comes to mind.

Laxman doesn't do it blindly though, he knows which bowlers the tailenders need to be protected from and does his calculations accordingly. He also allows them freedom to bat their way against bowlers that they feel comfortable against.

 

[Burgey]

Steve Waugh used to employ this strategy during the 90s quite often. He copped a bit of stick for it but always said he had faith in the bloke at the other end (though I think it's fair to say he tried to shield McGrath a fair bit. Faith isn't always boundless).

 

[Burgey]

This photo won an award for "Cricket Photograph of the Year" BTW.

Was that taken during Anderson's summer of fluke?

 

[Spark]

Steve Waugh used to employ this strategy during the 90s quite often. He copped a bit of stick for it but always said he had faith in the bloke at the other end (though I think it's fair to say he tried to shield McGrath a fair bit. Faith isn't always boundless).

I think it's a fair enough strategy nowadays tbh. There are so few genuine bunnies and by and large tailenders have sufficiently competent defensive techniques nowadays that you're probably best off just playing normally.

 

[Furball]

Nah. The man who can snatch the match away from you is without any shadow of a doubt Laxman. To the point that if we're defending a total on the 4th/5th day, Laxman is the guy I want first.

With Spark on this one. If India were 50/3 chasing 300, with plenty of overs in hand to the point where the draw is virtually eliminated, and Laxman and Tendulkar were at the crease, I'd be praying for Laxman's wicket first.

 

[Cevno]

Depends really.

The probability of Sachin getting going and taking the score to 150 to 200 from there and getting out is more than the no of times Laxman would do it.

But the probability that If both get going ,of Laxman lasting till very close to the 300 and close to it is way more.

 

[Top_Cat]

Laxman the bloke for the last 50 runs of a chase for sure.

But then, a big factor is their respective batting positions and who gets going. Because Sachin bats higher (even if only two positions higher), in a chase, he's coming in 2nd wicket down so doesn't have to necessarily see the entire chase out to be considered to have done his job (if he does, though, great!). Laxman's job, on the other hand, is to 'see it through', if you know what I mean. Just different roles and attendant mindsets.

EDIT: It's yet another factor that makes comparison of players even more difficult. Cricket's both an individual and a team game and you never know what team plans are in play with some blokes. Adam Gilchrist only averaging around 30 in ODI's yet being rated as one of the best ODI players ever, etc.

 

[Top_Cat]

With Spark on this one. If India were 50/3 chasing 300, with plenty of overs in hand to the point where the draw is virtually eliminated, and Laxman and Tendulkar were at the crease, I'd be praying for Laxman's wicket first.

Recent experience suggests if India are 8 or 9 down with 100 left to chase and a bunny at the other end, you should still pray for Laxman's wicket.

/still bitter.

 

[Furball]

Depends really.

The probability of Sachin getting going and taking the score to 150 to 200 from there and getting out is more than the no of times Laxman would do it.

But the probability that If both get going ,of Laxman lasting till very close to the 300 and close to it is way more.

Rightly or wrongly (and I realise that what I'm about to post is MASSIVELY unfair on Tendulkar), my perception of the two is that Laxman is the more likely to score runs when his team really needs them.

 

[honestbharani]

Rightly or wrongly (and I realise that what I'm about to post is MASSIVELY unfair on Tendulkar), my perception of the two is that Laxman is the more likely to score runs when his team really needs them.

With TC on this one.. With Laxman batting at 5/6 all the time, he is more likely to find himself in a position where the runs he scores just about always matters more than the runs Sachin scores at 4, simply coz even if Sachin gets out there is more batting to come, unlike with Laxman.

 

[silentstriker]

Rightly or wrongly (and I realise that what I'm about to post is MASSIVELY unfair on Tendulkar), my perception of the two is that Laxman is the more likely to score runs when his team really needs them.

Except against Australia, this isn't really true. Meaning, as an Indian fan, if India are in a tough situation and the opponent is not Australia, I'd back Sachin 10/10 times. And it's not like Sachin has a bad record vs. Australia but Laxman does inhuman things vs. them from time to time.

 

[smash84]

God scored 140* in the world cup final........

Laxman the bloke for the last 50 runs of a chase for sure.

But then, a big factor is their respective batting positions and who gets going. Because Sachin bats higher (even if only two positions higher), in a chase, he's coming in 2nd wicket down so doesn't have to necessarily see the entire chase out to be considered to have done his job (if he does, though, great!). Laxman's job, on the other hand, is to 'see it through', if you know what I mean. Just different roles and attendant mindsets.

EDIT: It's yet another factor that makes comparison of players even more difficult. Cricket's both an individual and a team game and you never know what team plans are in play with some blokes. Adam Gilchrist only averaging around 30 in ODI's yet being rated as one of the best ODI players ever, etc.

Hmmm.....this does make a lot of sense

 

[vcs]

What is unique about Laxman is that there might be other people as good at him in crisis situations, batting with the tail etc. but no one who can make it look quite as effortless as him. WAG.

 

[centurymaker]

What is unique about Laxman is that there might be other people as good at him in crisis situations, batting with the tail etc. but no one who can make it look quite as effortless as him. WAG.

Yep, thats what separates him from the rest.

 

[Jono]

Laxman the bloke for the last 50 runs of a chase for sure.

But then, a big factor is their respective batting positions and who gets going. Because Sachin bats higher (even if only two positions higher), in a chase, he's coming in 2nd wicket down so doesn't have to necessarily see the entire chase out to be considered to have done his job (if he does, though, great!). Laxman's job, on the other hand, is to 'see it through', if you know what I mean. Just different roles and attendant mindsets.

EDIT: It's yet another factor that makes comparison of players even more difficult. Cricket's both an individual and a team game and you never know what team plans are in play with some blokes. Adam Gilchrist only averaging around 30 in ODI's yet being rated as one of the best ODI players ever, etc.

Yeah good point.

 

[Blaze 18]

Laxman the bloke for the last 50 runs of a chase for sure.

But then, a big factor is their respective batting positions and who gets going. Because Sachin bats higher (even if only two positions higher), in a chase, he's coming in 2nd wicket down so doesn't have to necessarily see the entire chase out to be considered to have done his job (if he does, though, great!). Laxman's job, on the other hand, is to 'see it through', if you know what I mean. Just different roles and attendant mindsets.

EDIT: It's yet another factor that makes comparison of players even more difficult. Cricket's both an individual and a team game and you never know what team plans are in play with some blokes. Adam Gilchrist only averaging around 30 in ODI's yet being rated as one of the best ODI players ever, etc.

 

[miscer]

Tendulkar in the last 3.5 years has been better than anyone else

From 1 jan 2008 to today in all forms of the game for ppl w/ more than 2k runs tendulkar is

#1 on the list of 100s w/ 21 in 104 innings. 1 every 5.1 innings,a better than any batsman who has scored even 1 century in this period.
#2 on the list of highest average, averaging 59
#8 on most runs but w/ a far higher average than anyone in the top 30.

In tests only in this period w/ a qualification of 1k runs he is:

#1 in most hundreds with 14 from 59 innings.1 every 4.2 innings, a better rate than any other batsman who has scored even 1 century in this period.
#2 on the list of highest average, averaging 65
#2 on the list of most runs but w/ a higher ave than anyone in the top 15.

Batting records | Combined Test, ODI and T20I records | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

he maintains these rankings for the most part even with the complete exclusion of so-called "minnows."

 

[centurymaker]

You want a medal?

 

[Bun]

I think Tendulkar needs a subforum.

 

[Noble One]

Tendulkar has been awesome. You don't need statistics to prove this.