Predict India's highest run scorer in Cape Town

[Bumper]

Laxman is great at salvaging lost causes. I guess for Laxman to find himself in a lost cause (in the minds of your typical spectator), Tendulkar is likely to have failed and thus adds to a perception that Laxman handles pressure better than Tendulkar. As an aside, how often do both score heavily in the same innings? Only time that comes to mind immediately is Sydney 2003 when India topped 700.

In your blind love for Tendulkar, you are over simplifying Laxman's achievements here. Yes, it is true that a Dravid or a Tendulkar has more often than not failed when Laxman played his killer innings. But its not as if that has denied Dravid or Tendulkar their fair share of opportunities to play such blinders during a crisis. (I think Dravid has played such blinders, to be fair to him) Laxman to his credit, has not only raised to the occasion when it mattered the most, but has also finished the job with whatever little support he has gotten from the other end. No one put a gun to Dravid or Tendulkar's head at Mohali & asked them to leave the job to Laxman. See the point ? I think what makes Laxman special is that he shows up against the BIG dogs in BIG games when his innings is the difference between winning & losing. Few examples (his 281 is too old a knock, so i'll skip that) 73 at Johannessburg leading to our first victory in SAF in 2006 79 at Perth 2008, when the game was in the balance 103 in Colombo in a 4th innings chase 73 at Mohali 2010 vs Aus 96 at Durban a week back. And this list does not even include games Laxman has helped us save singlehandedly. All these are famous victories that can be considered critical milestones in our test cricketing history. I guess SRT too gets credit when he plays such an innings. His 103 vs Eng in Chennai is the equivalent of some of Laxman's efforts above. Just that Laxman has done it more often and more importantly finished the job and done it at a time, when all hopes seem lost. Thats what makes him special.

[Manny_Pacquiao]

Yes' date=' it is true that a Dravid or a Tendulkar has more often than not failed when Laxman played his killer innings. [/quote'] this works the other way around too.

[goose]

In your blind love for Tendulkar, you are over simplifying Laxman's achievements here. Yes, it is true that a Dravid or a Tendulkar has more often than not failed when Laxman played his killer innings. But its not as if that has denied Dravid or Tendulkar their fair share of opportunities to play such blinders during a crisis. (I think Dravid has played such blinders, to be fair to him) Laxman to his credit, has not only raised to the occasion when it mattered the most, but has also finished the job with whatever little support he has gotten from the other end. No one put a gun to Dravid or Tendulkar's head at Mohali & asked them to leave the job to Laxman. See the point ? I think what makes Laxman special is that he shows up against the BIG dogs in BIG games when his innings is the difference between winning & losing. Few examples (his 281 is too old a knock, so i'll skip that) 73 at Johannessburg leading to our first victory in SAF in 2006 79 at Perth 2008, when the game was in the balance 103 in Colombo in a 4th innings chase 73 at Mohali 2010 vs Aus 96 at Durban a week back. And this list does not even include games Laxman has helped us save singlehandedly. All these are famous victories that can be considered critical milestones in our test cricketing history. I guess SRT too gets credit when he plays such an innings. His 103 vs Eng in Chennai is the equivalent of some of Laxman's efforts above. Just that Laxman has done it more often and more importantly finished the job and done it at a time, when all hopes seem lost. Thats what makes him special.

I don't need convincing of Laxman's immense contribution. By the way you forgot, just from the top of my head, the 220 odd and 60 odd runs Tendulkar scored to beat Australia at Bangalore 2010.