Mark Waugh vs VVS Laxman

[aarizzler720]

Mark Waugh and VVS Laxman belong to that rare category of batters who made cricket feel like an art form rather than a sport.

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Both men had a kind of effortless grace that didn’t rely on brute force or textbook rigidity.

• Mark Waugh: all timing, wrists, and balance
• Laxman: velvet touch, late strokes, and magical placement

They weren’t trying to dominate bowlers with power — they out‑classed them with style.

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Some batters are mechanical. These two were instinctive.

• They judged length early
• They played late
• They used angles beautifully
• They made tough bowling look harmless

When they were in rhythm, it felt like they were playing a different game from everyone else.

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Neither was a stereotypical enforcer like but they could change a match’s mood instantly.

• Waugh: counterattacking 70s and 80s that broke bowling plans
• Laxman: the king of crisis batting, especially against Australia

Laxman’s 281 is the obvious example, but he had a habit of producing innings that were equal parts elegance and ruthlessness.

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This is where Mark Waugh pulls ahead.

• One of the greatest slip fielders ever
• Transformed Australia’s catching standards
• Made the cordon look like a highlight reel

Laxman was safe, but Waugh was elite.

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Both were:

• Wristy, stylish, and timing‑based
• Naturally attacking without slogging
• Match‑winners who didn’t need brute force
• Players whose best innings are unforgettable
• Artists in an era full of machines

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Laxman, better away record, monster against spin and amazing performances against top opposition.

Also he averages around 50 if you remove his top order stint.

 

[aarizzler720]

Laxman, better away record, monster against spin and amazing performances against top opposition.

Also he averages around 50 if you remove his top order stint.

Yeah Laxman has some good performances against teams like aus and sa home and away, also what about waugh one of the best in the slips, and pretty stylish also has some good knocks against teams like wi, ind and eng

 

[sweep_shot]

Mark Waugh definitely.

 

[aarizzler720]

Mark Waugh definitely.

yeah guy has some amazing knocks and also was a great fielder, but I think it's close since laxman was also another elegent gifted strokemaker, and even has great knocks against the likes of Mcgrath, Warne etc

 

[Vikram1989]

Mark Waugh can be part of great Australian line up but not a steady stock.He is quite inconsistent and unreliable for crunch situations. He can produce very good innings time to time but not when u need it as his brother produced it.Laxman is crisis man and produced 90 percent of the times.waugh is very good utility bowler too. But he is a fixer and blatant cheat.He can produce astonishing catches like that of vvs dismissal in chennai, wasti in 99wc final etc.As Ian chappel says, "u can see any type of Waugh on the field .A total dummy or marverick".

 

[Vikram1989]

yeah guy has some amazing knocks and also was a great fielder, but I think it's close since laxman was also another elegent gifted strokemaker, and even has great knocks against the likes of Mcgrath, Warne etc

U should not take his answers at his face value.ask him the reason.he will say any one apart from india even if u ask gavaskar vs Walsh in opening batting.

 

[Hitman]

U should not take his answers at his face value.ask him the reason.he will say any one apart from india even if u ask gavaskar vs Walsh in opening batting.

So true.

On topic, VVS Laxman. Champion against arguably the greatest Test team of all time.​

 

[Rajdeep]

VVS was a better test batsman. His Kolkata knock alone is better than anything Junior has done.

However, M.Waugh was a better ODI batsman. Infact, much better. In 1996 world cup, he along with SRT were top run getters.

 

[aarizzler720]

So true.

On topic, VVS Laxman. Champion against arguably the greatest Test team of all time.​

Yeah I'm not going to be biased only I think that waugh has a strong chance because he was at the start amazing against that wi bowling attack of marshall and ambrose too which was a pretty bloody good team too, along with some good knocks in ashes and subcontinent and yeah laxman has a greater avg of 46 but he has some amazing knocks especially some hundreds against waugh's aus which were dominating everywhere

VVS was a better test batsman. His Kolkata knock alone is better than anything Junior has done.

However, M.Waugh was a better ODI batsman. Infact, much better. In 1996 world cup, he along with SRT were top run getters.

yeah I'll take that junior along with gilly opening was just complimenting each other, both modern left-handed players but one was flamboyant and artistic, other brought pure explosiveness and domination

 

[Rajdeep]

Yeah I'm not going to be biased only I think that waugh has a strong chance because he was at the start amazing against that wi bowling attack of marshall and ambrose too which was a pretty bloody good team too, along with some good knocks in ashes and subcontinent and yeah laxman has a greater avg of 46 but he has some amazing knocks especially some hundreds against waugh's aus which were dominating everywhere

yeah I'll take that junior along with gilly opening was just complimenting each other, both modern left-handed players but one was flamboyant and artistic, other brought pure explosiveness and domination

Waugh and Gilly were very good.

Gilly and Hayden were on different level

 

[Hitman]

So true.

On topic, VVS Laxman. Champion against arguably the greatest Test team of all time.​

Having said that, I used to be a big fan of Mark Waugh in the 90's, and he used to be my favorite Aussie batsman back then. Damien Martyn replaced him as my favorite Aussie batsman after his retirement.​

 

[Van_Sri]

In Tests Laxman, In ODIs Waugh, As an Allrounder Mark Waugh

 

[aarizzler720]

Waugh and Gilly were very good.

Gilly and Hayden were on different level

Gilchrist and Hayden were next level in all formats of crcketers. They are like superior and clutcher modes of Head and Warner. Actually I

 

[SportsWarrior]

Waugh had better game for ODI whereas Laxman was better in tests. Waugh was also a softie and a fixer.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Mark Waugh was the better overall batsman going by his equally good record in both formats of the game. He was one of the best ODI openers during his time.

Laxman was a great test player, arguably better than Mark Waugh, although it’s very neck to neck still. Waugh has 20 test centuries vs Laxman’s 17 in lesser tests with a slightly worse average.

Laxman is legendary for his 281 which is legit the greatest test knock ever played by far. Nothing comes close to it in the 150 years history of the game. Following on against the 17 consecutive test matches winning Aussie juggernaut carrying McGrath, Warne, Gillespi (prime) and Kaspa and making a mammoth 281 is pure gladiator stuff.

 

[Vikram1989]

Waugh had better game for ODI whereas Laxman was better in tests. Waugh was also a softie and a fixer.

About to say reg that softie Waugh.He never performed in knock outs apart from 96 qf against nz on a flat track .even then nz captian Lee germon(19 avg in odis) scored 89 and Chris Harris 130.

 

[Devadwal]

In test VVS is way better than Mark Waugh.

 

[aarizzler720]

Yeah Laxman's 281 and that great partnership with Dravid also in that Kolkata dry pitch against Pidge, Warnie, Dizzy and Kaz has to be one of the greatest test knocks of all time, that too in a follow on and arguably ind's greatest victory in tests maybe?, but I love waugh too because he was a gun slip fielder and also a very flamboyant batter who has some great kncoks against mighty wi and ahses two of aus's greatest rivals at the time, but it would'nt be wrong to say that vvs was the greater test batter while junior was a much better odi bat

 

[ravisurya]

Waugh was a very good ODI bat, was at the top for a period along with the likes of Sachin and Lara. He was extremely useful with he ball too but in tests Laxman slightly ahead.

 

[SportsWarrior]

About to say reg that softie Waugh.He never performed in knock outs apart from 96 qf against nz on a flat track .even then nz captian Lee germon(19 avg in odis) scored 89 and Chris Harris 130.

lol i saw that 96 QF against NZ live in chennai..

 

[Vikram1989]

lol i saw that 96 QF against NZ live in chennai..

I always thought there are only 2 instances of flat track in chennai. One is 96 qf and other is anwar 194 match.

 

[Vikram1989]

lol i saw that 96 QF against NZ live in chennai..

How was ur experience then? I always thought that's the one of most brilliant comebacks by kiwis in 90 era.How do u got the tickets? Even aswin said getting tickets at chepauk is one of the most difficult job.

 

[SportsWarrior]

I always thought there are only 2 instances of flat track in chennai. One is 96 qf and other is anwar 194 match.

yeah, it was a flat deck. we were supporting NZ. There was a huge contigent of college kids along with us and a bunch of girls who were drooling on Lee Germon. The line for getting into the stadium was almost two hours and we had to wait in chennai heat. it was a fun match. i had also watched India/Pak QF couple of days back. That was even crazier as the celebrations went all night and we all missed mid day train to chennai next day. We friends later rented a taxi to chennai and reached monday morning. It was exhausting especially considering we didn't have a great highway that time.

Six of us also had gotten tickets for one match in Karachi and another one in Lahore. Lahore match i think was Pak vs Ned, while i forgot Karachi one. But we had to cancel the trip due to exams for two of my friends. We later went to Pak during early 2000s pak/india series. Fun times

Only those stupid nostalgia is bringing me back to this site.

 

[SportsWarrior]

How was ur experience then? I always thought that's the one of most brilliant comebacks by kiwis in 90 era.How do u got the tickets? Even aswin said getting tickets at chepauk is one of the most difficult job.

it was exhilarating. our gang had watched the India/Pak couple of days back and we were over the moon especially after the heartbreak in the first 10 overs. This was much more relaxed and fun match. Most of us were supporting NZ, most ladies Lee Germon .. Chennai crowd was great but biggest thing was the sense of relief knowing India was in Semis. But most of us had a premonition about SL winning it. I had a small bet with my friend that SL will win it. I was a big fan of Aravinda and our big fixer Azhar..

 

[SportsWarrior]

coming back to the post topic, one of the better innings Mark Waugh played was in Bangalore later in the decade. I think it was 1998 India/Aus series. I only watched first two days in stadium as i had some function to attend after that. Sachin got an hundred day 1 and Junior got a 50 which he converted to an 150 next day. It was pretty good knock. Few Australian team members also met our club members during that match. One of my club player also bowled in the nets to them.

 

[Vikram1989]

it was exhilarating. our gang had watched the India/Pak couple of days back and we were over the moon especially after the heartbreak in the first 10 overs. This was much more relaxed and fun match. Most of us were supporting NZ, most ladies Lee Germon .. Chennai crowd was great but biggest thing was the sense of relief knowing India was in Semis. But most of us had a premonition about SL winning it. I had a small bet with my friend that SL will win it. I was a big fan of Aravinda and our big fixer Azhar..

Wow u must be really someone In disguise .i wonder how ur family have approved ur pak travel.My chennai friends in 2015 used to say " if we can travel to chennai from bangalore via Salem horrible roads, we can achieve anything in life".u should be drunk to travel then

 

[harshjoshi87]

VVS would be an obvious answer because Mark didn't score any test runs against McGrath-Warne-Gillespie-Lee

Mark Waugh was a terrific slip catcher & part of '99 WC winning team.

VVS takes the cake for his epic 281 in 2001 at Kolkata.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Mark Waugh was more stylish but VVS probably the better player of the two. He played some epic knocks.

 

[Rafale Nidhal Fan]

U should not take his answers at his face value.ask him the reason.he will say any one apart from india even if u ask gavaskar vs Walsh in opening batting.

by your logic tendulkar isn't the greatest batter in the world because stats don't matter

 

[Local.Dada]

Azharuddin and Saeed Anwar belong to the category. In fact enjoyed all 4 bat so ranking with all due respect,

Azhar
Mark Waugh
Saeed Anwar
VVS