Who was the better batsmen between Gundappa Vishwanath and VVS Laxman?

[Harsh Thakor]

Few batsmen ever in the history of the game adorned or defined style as much as Gundappa Vishwanath or V.V.S.Laxman who carried a cricket bat like a wand.There were more technically proficient batsmen,batsmen with considerably better statistical records and more agressive batsmen but very few who could surpass VVS or Vishy for creativity and prowess.Both took batting artistry or wizardry to regions of divinity,bestowing the touches of a great sculptor or painter , the imagination of a musical composer and beauty. of a lotus blossoming.Their wrists were like plywood.On their day they would play innings which the best batsmen of their generation may not have surpassed if not equalled .I have rarely seen 2 batsmen so similar or close to each other. with their magical touch.At times Vishy could make Sunny lol pale just as VVS could make Sachin appear.Had both done justice to their ability they could have joined the Viv's or Tendulkar's.

Vishwanath in my view overshadowed VVS on fast,bouncy tracks,bad wickets in seaming conditions.Laxman on fast wicket did not equal Vishy's imperious unbeaten 97 at Madras v West Indies in 1974-75 or 124 v West Indies at Madras in 1978-79 which revealed batting domination and artistry in regions of the sublime .Nor did he equal Vishy's effort against the moving ball when scoring 78 and 79 at Dunedin in 1975-76.Overall I feel Vishy was more consistent in the seaming English conditions .However Vishy 's 4th innings batting did not equal Laxman's phenomenal consistency in run chases.In a 4th innings VVS was the best batsmen of his era and amongst the top 6 of all-time in run chases ,ressurecting his team from the grave to reach the pinnacle of glory three times.He also was the prime architect in India virtually performing a Houdini act to beat Australia in Kolkata when scoring 281 and when scoring a century at Adelaide in 2003-04.No batsmen of his time batted better with the tail or was more capable of taking a team to reach it's destination in a staggering fourth innings chase.,retreiving a sinking ship.Significant that VVS's batting at its best came up against the premier team of his day.Australia,who were bracketed with the greatest test teams ever.Somehow VVS was not so succesful against South Africa.

India never lost a test match when Vishy scored a century.India lost some games with VVS scoring a century but is was Laxman who was more the match-winner.Vishwanath faced better bowling tackling the greats like Holding,Roberts,Lillee ,Thomson,Botham,Hadlee and Imran while VVS had a greater opportunity to score against lesser bowlers not scoring so many runs against the express pace of Alan Donald ,Wasim Akram or Curtly Ambrose.Laxman also had much more support from the middle order which had a more fortified line up than the one Vishy played for in the 1970's at his best.Significant that Vishy often had to literally carry the burden of India' s middle order batting on his shoulders.Laxman ahead as much skill as Vishy in even punishing the good ball but still in my book not Vishy's equal in piercing the most impregnable gaps with his wrists.

Statistically Laxman is better than Vishwanath averaging 5 runs more and scoring 3 more centuries as well as a better record in games won but even if by a whisker I rate Vishy ahead as a pure stylist or craftsman , a technician ,against great pace or spin bowling and morally in a crsisi or as a match-winner considering factor of era..Both played major roles in India's important triumphs against Australia but Vishy was more successful against the best of fast bowlers.Somehow if a gun was placed on my head I would choose Vishy over VVS by the margin of a whisker.

Edited October 5, 2019 by Harsh Thakor

[G_B_]

different eras

[rkt.india]

Where is Majid in the poll?

[nevada]

1 hour ago, rkt.india said:

Where is Majid in the poll?

0, 1, 2, 3...... - you get the idea. Majid is 0, after him comes everyone else.

[Khota]

Very difficult to compare. India was fortunate to have both and Vishwanaths century on debut was amazing but VVS knock against Australia was the best in history of test cricket. I will go with VVS but will never downplay Vishy's contribution to Indian cricket.

[bahubali]

You don't copy paste ur other thread from green forum which you opened today.

[Vilander]

maaa maaaa ...

 

Mmmmmaaaajid khan

[Vilander]

Haris Taqueer..at it again...

 

Mmmmaajid khaan..

[Mariyam]

Jali ko aag kehte hain,

Bujhi ko raakh kehte hain.

jis raakh se barood bane,

use Vishwanath kehte hain

[Vk1]

Vishy played in an era of no helmets...amazing

[Peshust]

Since OP is a poster who takes great pains to write long posts, I thought I would give him my feedback. To him:- All your posts look same. You could transpose two names like Inzamam and Miandad from you favourite team and the post would look the same. You use the same metaphors like surgeon, Craftsmen, sculpture, Phoenix from Ashes so after a while it is all too boring.

 

On the topic, VVS Laxman

[cricketfan28]

easy one .. Laxman.

[Vijy]

Laxman was slightly better as an all-round batsman, but Vishy was superior in home conditions.

[ThaneFast]

Gundappa Vishwanath

[Straight Drive]

I can't forget couple of Vishy's tons ( particularly the match in which he and Sunny scored ton on day 4 and 5)  but to me VVS is a better batsman.

[BlackMamba]

Both fell short of their potential.

They are being talked just because they were classy against spin in their own way.  

But neither will get into the list of batting greats india has produced.

[rtmohanlal]

I would place Laxman slightly better . He scored some  2700+ more runs  and averaged  4 more. He batted generally lower down the  order too which affects run scoring a bit adversely.