There was a stretch when VVS Laxman was spoken about in the same breath as Australia’s most intimidating batters—someone who could flip a match with a single spell of batting. By 2003, Sachin Tendulkar had already grown into a global cult figure, with his memorable Australia heroics winning over fans well beyond India. For years, it looked as if no one could truly threaten Australia’s dominance at home or away in the early 2000s—until the year 2001, when Laxman produced a defining Test knock of 281 in Kolkata. Facing a pace-heavy lineup that included Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne, Laxman broke through every layer of pressure and made a statement that Australia’s “unstoppable” reputation could, in fact, be challenged.
Laxman’s Kolkata moment and Gillespie’s lasting memories
- In 2001, Laxman scored 281 in Kolkata against an Australian attack featuring Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne.
- Jason Gillespie later reflected that Laxman did not just trouble the team in that Eden outing, but also hurt them again two years later during Australia’s tour of the country, when Laxman produced another run-fest.
- Despite that long-lasting impact, when Gillespie was asked to name his five greatest batters almost 25 years on, Laxman appeared only as an honourable mention rather than in the main list.
On the “Fast Bowling Cartel” podcast, Gillespie recalled how the 281 changed the way Australia tried to attack. “My honorary mention is VVS Laxman,” he said. “Do you guys remember? Absolutely tore us up in Kolkata in 2001. The 281 against us was one of the best knocks I’ve ever seen. We tried everything but could not dislodge him.” He added that the shot-making stood out—particularly the way Laxman handled Warne’s deliveries from rough areas. Gillespie described it as some of the best play against spin he had ever witnessed, calling it “absolutely nuts,” and praised how Laxman also dealt with fast bowling effectively. He further noted Laxman’s overall Test production, highlighting more than 8,000 runs at an average of 46 as evidence of a complete player.
Gillespie also expanded on his personal experience with Laxman through the Australian Under-19s era. He said they toured India and that Laxman turned up for essentially every match—playing at levels such as Board Presidents XI, youth Tests, and other fixtures—where he reportedly struck hundreds against them as well. “So, I can assure you now, I’m sick and tired of seeing VVS Laxman smacking us Aussies everywhere around,” Gillespie added, joking that he was relieved to retire so he would no longer have to bowl to him. He closed that section by describing Laxman as a wonderful player and a great person.
Gillespie’s top batters and the case for Lara
For Gillespie’s full list, he placed Sir Garfield Sobers as the other honourable mention—someone he could not face directly. From the batters he did play against, Gillespie ranked South Africa’s Jacques Kallis at number 5 and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara at number 3, followed by Rahul Dravid—“The Wall”—also at number 3. With the list set, he then named his top two.
Gillespie’s number two, which he suggested many would consider his top choice, was Sachin Tendulkar. He cited Tendulkar’s Test record—nearly 16,000 runs at 53.8, 51 centuries across 200 matches, and a century roughly every four Tests—as well as the fact he also struck another 49 hundreds in one-day cricket. He summed up Tendulkar as a “run-making machine” and emphasized how difficult he found it to bowl to the Indian great. “Sachin was very difficult to bowl to,” he said.
But Gillespie’s number one was Brian Charles Lara of the West Indies. He explained why Lara edged out even Tendulkar in his view. According to Gillespie, many batters can be forced into familiar patterns when you deliver your best ball—either defending or leaving it—allowing bowlers to build control through dot balls and patient pressure. “But I never felt I could do that consistently with Brian Lara,” he said. Gillespie stressed that Lara’s approach changed depending on “what gear he was in.” In his assessment, Lara could jump from one mode to another instantly—turning a ball that looked like the right line and height into a scoring opportunity anywhere around the field. Gillespie described the variety vividly: a delivery on top of off stump could suddenly be cut behind point, driven through midwicket, or flicked behind square.
The key difference for Gillespie was Lara’s ability to keep the bowler under stress longer than most. “He had this incredible ability to put the bowler back under pressure, probably more than any of the other batters I have listed,” he said. That, Gillespie concluded, is why Lara sits at the top of his rankings.
Glenn McGrath’s response: Tendulkar’s toughness and Lara’s ‘zone’
Glenn McGrath reacted to Gillespie’s selections and broadly agreed with the top two. “I agree with your top two,” McGrath said. “They are obviously two of the greatest players the game has seen.” He added that Tendulkar’s mental strength was particularly striking. “Sachin was unbelievable, mentally so tough. You knew exactly what you were going to get from him every single day,” McGrath remarked.
McGrath then echoed the admiration for Lara, saying that when Lara arrived “switched on,” it typically meant a long day for the fielding side. “Brian was a genius,” McGrath said. “If he walked out switched on, you knew you were in for a long day. He was not always switched on, but when he was, it was game over.” He pointed to specific landmark performances, including Lara’s 200 at Adelaide Oval, suggesting that once Lara entered his best rhythm, the opposition had little chance to change the outcome.
McGrath also referenced Lara’s 153 not out in Barbados in 1999. He described how Australia had been able to get reverse swing working and were bowling well, yet Lara still found a way to guide his side over the line in a fourth-innings chase with the tail involved. “He was simply too good for us that day,” McGrath said, calling it “a wonderful innings.”
