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Which batsmen played the greatest Test match innings at their best over the past 50 years?

Harsh Thakor

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Here in this list I am analyzing the batsmen in the last 50 years who scored the best all-time classics in test cricket.In tentative order of merit analyzes the batsmen who executed the greatest innings at their best.Apologize if controversial and omitted some genuine greats.

1.VVS Laxman
2.Brian Lara
3.Graham Gooch
4.Asif Iqbal
5.Gordon Greenidge
6.Younis Khan
7.Gary Sobers
8.Viv Richards
9.Gundappa Vishwanath
10.Sunil Gavaskar
11.Sachin Tendulkar
12.Ian Botham



At his best VVS was responsible for ressurecting a side from the grave to the pinnacle of glory more than anyone.His .281 v Australia and 96 at home ,century at Hobart and in South Africa in 2011 speak for itself.Best batting against arguably the best test team of all time,Australia.

Graham Gooch played his best innings against the best attack of all time when scoring 153 at Kingston,116 at Barbados in 1981 and 154 at Leeds in 1988.He was also marvellous when scoring 121 at Madras in 1981-82 and 333at Lords in 1990 v India.


Brian Lara was arguably better than any all-time great at his best when scoring 153 n.o and 213 v Australia at home in 1999 ,277 at Sydney in 1982,221 in Sri Lanka in 2003 and 400 n.o.v England at Antigua in 2004.Also a 365 at Antigua v England in 1994 and 219 at Melbourne in 2005-06.Exhibited creativity in regions of the sublime.


Asif Iqbal at his best overshadowed even likes of Miandad when scoring 146 no at the Oval,152 and 120 in Australia in 1976-77 and 135 at Kingston.Strokekplay at the height of divinity.Played the best Australian and West Indian pace attacks in his best innings,.


Viv Richards including his 170 in WSC in 1977-78 had great knocks like his 232 at Nottingham in 1976,108 at Delhi in 1987-88,291 at the Oval in 1976,208 at Melbourne in 1984-85.


Gundappa Vishwanath's best like his 97 in 1974-75 ,124 in 1978-79 v West Indies at Madras ,78 and 79 at Dunedin in 1975-76,107 v England at Delhi and 114 at Melbourne in 1980-81 arguably even overshadowed the best of Gavaskar.


Gordon Greenidge had many a classic knocks like his 214 n.o at Lords in 184 134 at Leeds in 1976,226v Australia at Barbados in 1991.100 v Pakistan at Trinidad in 1977 etc.His centuries at his bset were more valuable to his ytaem's cause than even Viv Richards.


In recent times Younis Khan at his best overshadowed everyone turning lost causes into a winning one more than anyone.


Gary Sobers took batting perfection to heights rarely reached at his best when scoring 132 in the tied test at Brisbane,254 at Melbourne in 1972 for rest of the world,113 at Kingston v England in 1968-69,and century in 204 run partnership with cousin David Holford at Leeds in 1966.

Sachin Tendulkar did not win so many matches but still played some all-time classics like his 115 at Perth and 148 at Brisbane in 1991-92,169 at Johannesburg in 1997,136 v Pakistan at Chennai in 1999,147 at Durban in 2010-11 and 169 at Trent Bridge in 1996.

Sunil Gavaskar was as good as any great when scoring 221 at the Oval,96 at Bangalore v Pakistan ,90 at av West Indies at Ahmedabad in 1983-84,101 at Old Trafford etc.Rated ahead of Tendulkar as he opened batting and faced better bowling.




Ian Botham in his best innings ressurected his side from the grave to gain untold glory more than nay all-rounder like his 149 n.o at Leeds in 1981.114 at Mumbai in 1979-80,118 at Old Trafford
 
I first thought of Lara, then I remembered those knocks by V.V.S... He turned matches, he won matches. There may be players with more runs but no-one with bigger runs than he made.
 
Easily VVS Laxman's 281 against a full strength Aussie side in 2001, after India were made to follow on. And India miraculously won the match after the Aussies collapsed in the forth innings to Harbhajan.
 
Bowling attack + Conditions + Circumstances under which an innings is played determines how great an innings is.

In Laxman's case, it was played at home. But the bowling attack was phenomenal with McGrath, Warne and Gillespie on the attack. As for circumstances, it was played after India were made to follow on. Australia won the previous match, and India would have lost the series if they lost that match. And Australia made a world record of winning consecutive Test matches (around 15/16 Tests) before that series. India managed to win the series after that match was miraculously won.

Keeping them in mind, it's hard to rate any other innings above that one. Will have to tip my hat off to Dravid as well for his magnificent 181 in that match, batting alongside Laxman.
 
Lara's innings at Barbados was easily the best I saw, and I would be one lucky sod in the improbable event I ever see the like again. Coping with the pressure on one's shoulders as captain after a bruising tour of South Africa, having to shepherd Ambrose and Walsh against McGrath and Gillespie, it's the stuff of dreams that one used to harbour as a kid playing backyard cricket with friends and family. I still get goosebumps whenever I see highlights of that innings and the sheer joy on the faces of the Bajan crowd. It captured the end of a time when cricket truly used to matter in the Caribbean. That innings and test match encapsulates everything why I fell in love with cricket.

The other important thing about that innings when compared with Laxman's effort at Kolkata, is that you knew if Lara got out the test and with it the Frank Worrell Trophy was lost. It was Lara or bust basically for the West Indies. Whereas, Laxman's innings was more akin to Botham's effort at Headingley, it was speculative in the sense that there was no real pressure to win the match. Laxman was liberated to play his natural game, and I reckon until the post-tea session on Day 4, no reasonably rational person in India even harboured any thoughts of winning that game. That is an important distinction for me.
 
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