****OFFICIAL**** Lara vs Tendulkar Debate Thread

[luckyeddie]

Lara's a dead-rubber basher.

..... and Tendulkar's a chok...(voice fades into distance)

[aussie]

..... and Tendulkar's a chok...(voice fades into distance)

, but seriously i think there is more truth in refering to Tendulkar as a choker than Lara a dead rubber basher. Who cares anyway they are both superb..

[dontcloseyoureyes]

There's plenty of times Tendulkar HASN'T choked and just because he failed a few times under the pump doesn't mean he's a choker, he's just human.

[Slifer]

Lara's a dead-rubber basher.

Prove It!!

[Pedro Delgado]

Prove It!!

We just need to produce a dead rubber. Give me ten minutes.

[nookie_lk]

Its LARA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No argument !!!!!!

[luckyeddie]

There's plenty of times Tendulkar HASN'T choked and just because he failed a few times under the pump doesn't mean he's a choker, he's just human.

Noob.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Well, I was talking to aussie when he said that there was some form of credibility to that argument, even though it was obvious you were joking.

[howardj]

Prove It!!

Someone did a few weeks ago.

Huge break down of B.C's stats in dead-rubber games - really quite prolific.

Magnificent batsman though

Cant split Lara and The Sach.

[age_master]

i would take Lara any day of the week.

[aussie]

Well, I was talking to aussie when he said that there was some form of credibility to that argument, even though it was obvious you were joking.

well if it think about it there is truth to both sides, in lara's case there has been few times in his career that he has failed in the opening matches but made big hundreds in the dead-rubber matches. But it cant be that much since only the The 400 vs ENG, 237 & 132 at adelaide in 2005 & 96 immediately come to mind come to mind. But i don't know if this proves much TBH..

But with Tendulkar when India have been under pressure to win a test i can't remember him playing a match-winning knock. The only one that comes close is the 136 vs PAK in chennai 99. This though is more significant since Lara has shown he can bat well under extreme pressure & win games for his team.

This doesn't say Tendulkar is a choker as you said he is only human but it does prove that under pressure Lara is better & is more of a match-winner than Tendulkar

[silentstriker]

This is going to get ugly.


/And I'll be leading the charge.

[Matt79]

But with Tendulkar when India have been under pressure to win a test i can't remember him playing a match-winning knock. The only one that comes close is the 136 vs PAK in chennai 99. This though is more significant since Lara has shown he can bat well under extreme pressure & win games for his team.

I have no strong attachment to either one or the other in a head to head comparison. They were clearly the best batsmen of their day, and in their pomp they were magnificent. It's probably fair to say that Lara has faded more gradually than Tendaulkar, but there are probably reasons for that.

In regards to your specific point, could it be that in many cases when Tendaulkar plays well, India seldom end up under pressure to win a test?

I guess points should go to Lara given he's carried the Windies a lot more than Tendaulkar has had to carry India, especially recently, with players like Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman, Sehwag. Lara's had Gayle and Chandrapaul....

[silentstriker]

, but seriously i think there is more truth in refering to Tendulkar as a choker than Lara a dead rubber basher. Who cares anyway they are both superb..

So how do you explain the higher average of Tendulkar in a winning test? I'd much rather have a consistent scores of 50-60 (with a LOT of centuries to boot), which help turn the tide of matches than 0, 10, 1, 400*, 1, 2, 6, 12.

[honestbharani]

Lara by the slightest possible bit imaginable, for me. But I agree, this thread is gonna get ugly. Let us hope the fact that these two gentlemen are very good friends and have always been magnanimous in their praise for each other makes sure that the members here don't get over excited and start treating this personally.