Smith vs Lara vs Viv - Who has had the best god mode?

[subshakerz]

Which of these bats is the most dangerous over a series if in the zone and at their peaks?

 

[Thala_0710]

If in the zone, Lara is the goat

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Lara and it's not close. 688 runs in 3 freaking tests vs Murali and Vaas.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Lara and it's not close. 688 runs in 3 freaking tests vs Murali and Vaas.

And that's his 2nd best Series......

 

[govinda indian fan]

King lara

 

[kyear2]

If in the zone, Lara is the goat

Will always maintain, the best batsman I've ever watched

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Honestly, could've gone with Viv as well.

 

[Kirkut]

If it's a 3 test series - Viv

If it's a 5 test series - Smith

But for pure aesthetics, nothing comes close to prime Lara

 

[subshakerz]

If it's a 3 test series - Viv

If it's a 5 test series - Smith

But for pure aesthetics, nothing comes close to prime Lara

Lara has a cap against pure quality pace. Viv can godmode against any attack. So can Smith perhaps.

However 99 Aus by Lara is the greatest series ever.

 

[subshakerz]

Lara and it's not close. 688 runs in 3 freaking tests vs Murali and Vaas.

So is it not close to Lara or is Viv an option?

 

[Coronis]

If it's a 3 test series - Viv

If it's a 5 test series - Smith

But for pure aesthetics, nothing comes close to prime Lara

This post has me wondering - not sure there’s a way to do this on statsguru, but I’d be curious to see what kind of stats certain players have depending on length of series.

 

[Sliferxxxx]

So is it not close to Lara or is Viv an option?

Yeah I can see how that can be contradicting. Tbf I made that post forgetting Viv once made 800 runs in 4 tests himself. Then as you said, I also recall Viv doing it vs spin/pace didn't matter. So in retrospect, it is close.

 

[subshakerz]

This post has me wondering - not sure there’s a way to do this on statsguru, but I’d be curious to see what kind of stats certain players have depending on length of series.

Yeah would be interesting to see. For example, Tendulkar might end up better in 3 test series than longer.

 

[Coronis]

Yeah would be interesting to see. For example, Tendulkar might end up better in 3 test series than longer.

Also to be clear I’m still meaning like, performance in a 5 test series even if the player were to miss matches, e.g Bradman 1932/33, Viv 1976, Smith 2019, Bumrah 2025

 

[DrWolverine]

Lara has a cap against pure quality pace.

I used to have Lara very highly but ever since you said and proved his record against quality pace, I just can’t rate him highly.

 

[subshakerz]

I used to have Lara very highly but ever since you said and proved his record against quality pace, I just can’t rate him highly.

It excludes him from the Best after Bradman bracket.

 

[kyear2]

I used to have Lara very highly but ever since you said and proved his record against quality pace, I just can’t rate him highly.

including WSC (Lillee and Imran played it), Viv's numbers would be

3,513 @ 49.47, with 8 tons.

for reference, Sachin against the elite ATGs of his time (McG, Amb, that Pakistani ball tamperer, Donald, Steyn)

2,679 @ 39.98, with 9 tons

Lara against great bowlers of his time (pakistan ball tampering duo, Donald, McGrath)

3,116 @ 40.46, with 6 tons

Isn't Lara's and Sachin's records against the 2 Ws and Donald and Pollock practically the same?

I'll take a look later.

 

[kyear2]

It excludes him from the Best after Bradman bracket.

And Sachin's?

 

[subshakerz]

And Sachin's?

Didn't have that weakness.

 

[subshakerz]

Isn't Lara's and Sachin's records against the 2 Ws and Donald and Pollock practically the same?

I'll take a look later.

No. Lara has no tons against Donald and 2Ws despite playing 18 tests and was dismissed more by them when he faced them in their respective primes.

Between 92 to 98, Lara got dismissed 6 times in six tests by Donald and 5 times in 6 tests by 2Ws. This isn't including Lara's debut test in 1990 nor the 2001 series when Donald was near retirement.

Tendulkar by comparison only got dismissed by 2Ws once each in his debut series in 89. He wasn't dismissed by them in 99 and scored a ton. He was dismissed by Donald 5 times in 11 tests and scored two tons.

Pretending they did the same against these pacers is only a silly CW point.

This doesn't even include pacers like Ambrose and Steyn that Tendulkar scored well against that Lara didn't face whereas Lara struggled against Flintoff and Harmison in the 2000s Tendulkar doesn't have the high pace weakness.