If you could be an international cricketer

[Gambit]

would you rather be Yuvraj Singh or VVS Laxman? Yuvi is probably the most popular Indian Cricketer today alongside Sachin and MSD. He's the king of T20s and ODIs and has the most unattainable record to his name(6 6s). His batting is stylish,powerful and murderous. He has won a World Cup, has been the vice captain of his side and won numerous Man of the Match Awards. He can get pretty much any woman he sets his eyes upon and has had a string of relationships with many beautiful and sexy women. He has various endorsements to his name and the money just keeps on rollling on. He is the captain of Punjab's IPL team and has led them to a semi-final berth.But, if things don't mend, he will be remembered as a mediore Test Cricketer and his name will never be counted amongst the greats. VVS is the most stylish Indian batsman of his generation, up there with his fellow Hyderabadi. His silken wrists, deft touches and jaw dropping elegance has wowed many a spectator and commentator. The purity of VVS' strokeplay has made followers of the game fall in love with it all over again. He will be remembered for murdering one of the two greatest teams of all time and for playing the greatest knock ever played in the history of test cricket. Whenever the Indian batting made an improbable comeback in a test, VVS was always there. He is probably the most underrated and under-appreciated Indian batsman of all time. But VVS' brief ODI and T20 career seem to be over. He will be remembered as a failure in two out of the three formats of the game. He went from being captain of his hometown's IPL team to being dropped from the playing XI which resulted in his team becoming champions. He's a quiet family man and has very little to no endorsements to his name. Keeping the attributes and achievements of these two cricketers, which one would you choose to be and why?

[vvvslaxman]

Lachu for his 281. I doubt any Indian can achieve that feat any time soon. I would be him.

[Dark Warrior]

yuvraj.... for 6 sixes...... nd that 70(30) inn v/s Aus 2 hat tricks..... preity's hugs after d match in IPL plus kim, deepika etc etc

[The Outsider]

VVS Laxman in a heartbeat. Some people might come out and say that when the money and fame beckons it would be difficult to cling on that choice and they would have a certain point to it. However, it's not that Laxman is some poor bloke - he still earns more than a decent living and has an apparently happy family life. Coupled with the lure of being a near immortal in the history of cricket and the future it would be a tough one to back out on. If it was only the 281, then Yuvraj would have a case but as Laxman has proved over more than a decade long career that it was no fluke. To earn the kind of respect in your profession from the very best in business like Laxman has is worth a few Kim Sharmas and Deepika Padukones. On the other hand, at what is still considered the pinnacle of cricket - Tests - Yuvraj was literally scoffed at by the very same people who have set new standards for the last decade or so. In any profession, peer recognition becomes almost as important as money after a certain point. Yes someone might have the extra Porsche or might be able to get laid more easily, but if people you are involved with on a day to day basis do not think much of your skills and achievements then it does become a bit hollow.

[Dark Warrior]

VVS Laxman in a heartbeat. Some people might come out and say that when the money and fame beckons it would be difficult to cling on that choice and they would have a certain point to it. However, it's not that Laxman is some poor bloke - he still earns more than a decent living and has an apparently happy family life. Coupled with the lure of being a near immortal in the history of cricket and the future it would be a tough one to back out on. If it was only the 281, then Yuvraj would have a case but as Laxman has proved over more than a decade long career that it was no fluke. To earn the kind of respect in your profession from the very best in business like Laxman has is worth a few Kim Sharmas and Deepika Padukones. On the other hand, at what is still considered the pinnacle of cricket - Tests - Yuvraj was literally scoffed at by the very same people who have set new standards for the last decade or so. In any profession, peer recognition becomes almost as important as money after a certain point. Yes someone might have the extra Porsche or might be able to get laid more easily, but if people you are involved with on a day to day basis do not think much of your skills and achievements then it does become a bit hollow.

good post..... liked it... :two_thumbs_up:

[Dark Warrior]

theoretically its good to b laxman.. but practically i like to b yuvraj......

[graphic23]

Brilliant topic, Gambit. Laxman without any doubt. For one, he's a fellow Hyderabadi. :icflove: Laxman's personality and character is something I'd probably want to shape myself to rather than Yuvraj's. He's quiet, has contributed in a big to almost every great win we've had in the past decade, and has never made any hassle in the public about any decision the team has taken, barring the 2003 World Cup exclusion. A wonderful human being too. He's a very well educated man, works for the AF in Hyderabad (and was actually in the process of becoming a doctor prior to choosing cricket as his career).

[vipin]

Yuvraj Singh cause that would help me nail more chiks ;) AND earn more money

[satishg]

VVS Laxman..i want to be known as a good batsman and that will only happen if i am successful in test cricket..so Very Very Special Lachu gets my vote :icflove:

[Ram]

Just a small question before voting; Yuvi isnt done yet. He may yet have his best phase as a (test) cricketer from now on. So, it'd be premature to choose between the two.

[vvvslaxman]

It is purely subjective. Laxman achieved something that every player should be proud of. Top run getters against Australia when they were in peak (which started in 1999, start of 16 win sequence). 50 years down the line when people discuss about greatest Test teams of all time and players who did well against such teams, Laxman's name will come up. Top run getters against OZ from Jan 1 1999 - till now. http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;opposition=2;orderby=runs;spanmax1=31+Dec+2009;spanmin1=01+Jan+1999;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

[vvvslaxman]

Yes Yuvi can still achieve a lot. If you form an all time great ODI team for India Yuvi is going to figure in every body's XI. He will finish as one of the best ODI batsman ever.

[graphic23]

It is purely subjective. Laxman achieved something that every player should be proud of. Top run getters against Australia when they were in peak (which started in 1999, start of 16 win sequence). 50 years down the line when people discuss about greatest Test teams of all time and players who did well against such teams, Laxman's name will come up. Top run getters against OZ from Jan 1 1999 - till now. http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;opposition=2;orderby=runs;spanmax1=31+Dec+2009;spanmin1=01+Jan+1999;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

Wow. That there are 5 Indian players in the top-10 probably explains why we've done relatively well against Australia as opposed to other teams. That is a terrific stat.

[Guest Hiten.]

Wow. That there are 5 Indian players in the top-10 probably explains why we've done relatively well against Australia as opposed to other teams. That is a terrific stat.

Take players' average IN Australia. Not surprisingly, SRT is leading the pack :--D

[King]

That is a shameful comparison. VVS with Yuvi :(( One is a class act, one of his kind and other is just a good cricketer. There is no comparison between the two.

[Desi Cartman]

Why is SRT not in the options :hitler:

[Dark Warrior]

Why is SRT not in the options :hitler:

because this poll is about being another human, not GOD!! :isalute:

[amits]

laxman. and still do better in odis & 20/20 without appearing in cricketing endorsements, play more 281-esque innings & do well against the 2nd best team of the time(india will be the best then:winky:)

[amits]

and here is an interesting fact - both yuvraj singh & vvs laxman have been a part of only 1 200+ odi stand in their entire career, even more interesting fact is that these 2 were the players involved together in that stand. yuvraj singh & vvs laxman shared a 213 run stand against australia in the 2004 vb series

[Gambit]

and here is an interesting fact - both yuvraj singh & vvs laxman have been a part of only 1 200+ odi stand in their entire career' date= even more interesting fact is that these 2 were the players involved together in that stand. yuvraj singh & vvs laxman shared a 213 run stand against australia in the 2004 vb series

FAIL. Yuvraj and Sehwag 3rd ODI v Lanka 2009.