VVS Laxman...is he really that good?

[Dasa]

He had a pretty good series agains WI in WI.

 

[Richard]

IMO Laxman is the most overrated player going around right now. He has based his entire career around 2 series against Australia, batting on featherbeds. He is an awful player against fast bowling if the pitch has any assistance whatsoever, and his technique revolves around plonking his foot down the middle of the pitch and waving the bat, regardless of the ball's line or length.

Series Mat I NO Runs HS1 HS2 HS3 Ave 100 50 0

Pepsi Triangular Series (Aus/Ind/Zim) in India, 1997/98
1 1 0 0 0 - - 0.00 0 0 1
Coca-Cola Cup (Aus/Ind/NZ) in U.A.E., 1997/98
3 2 1 46 23* 23 - 46.00 0 0 0
Coca-Cola Triangular Series (BD/Ind/Ken) in India, 1998
2 2 0 5 4 1 - 2.50 0 0 0
Coca-Cola Champions Trophy (Ind/SL/Zim) in U.A.E., 1998/99
1 1 0 11 11 - - 11.00 0 0 0
Carlton & United Series (Aus/Ind/Pak) in Australia, 1999/00
6 6 0 24 9 7 3 4.00 0 0 0
Australia in India, 2000/01
5 5 0 291 101 83 51 58.20 1 2 0
Coca-Cola Cup (Zimbabwe) (Ind/WI/Zim) in Zimbabwe, 2001
2 1 0 18 18 - - 18.00 0 0 0
Coca-Cola Cup (Sri Lanka) (Ind/NZ/SL) in Sri Lanka, 2001
7 7 1 212 87* 60 37 35.33 0 2 1
Standard Bank Tournament (Ind/Ken/SA) in South Africa, 2001/02
2 2 0 20 15 5 - 10.00 0 0 0
England in India, 2001/02
3 3 0 54 26 25 3 18.00 0 0 0
Zimbabwe in India, 2001/02
5 5 0 176 75 52 20 35.20 0 2 0
India in West Indies, 2001/02
1 1 0 2 2 - - 2.00 0 0 0
NatWest Series (Eng/Ind/SL) in England, 2002
1 1 0 14 14 - - 14.00 0 0 0
ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, 2002/03
2 2 0 26 22 4 - 13.00 0 0 0
West Indies in India, 2002/03
7 7 1 312 99 71 66 52.00 0 3 0
India in New Zealand, 2002/03
3 3 0 39 20 10 9 13.00 0 0 0
TVS Cup (India) (Aus/Ind/NZ) in India, 2003/04
7 7 0 222 102 31 25 31.71 1 0 0
VB Series (Aus/Ind/Zim) in Australia, 2003/04
10 10 3 443 131 106* 103* 63.28 3 0 0
India in Pakistan, 2003/04 [Series]
4 4 0 134 107 20 4 33.50 1 0 0
Asia Cup (BD/HK/Ind/Pak/SL/UAE) in Sri Lanka, 2004
3 3 1 27 14 12 1* 13.50 0 0 0

True he hasn't done much except against Australia, but I'd not say he's rated highly enough to be the most overrated player around today. No-one would call him an ODI great, just worth his place in the side.