Gaara and Crocodile began their adventures as villains of the Naruto and One Piece universes respectively. Each was ruthless whenever they appeared in their storylines and acknowledged for their strength by those around them.
However, that isn't the only thing they have in common. The most prominent similarity between both men is their undisputable command over the sand. Crocodile's devil fruit allows him to contend with the Kazekage's deadly jutsu. By measuring what both combatants are capable of, it can be accurately determined which of them would win in a fight, should they ever encounter one another in battle.
10 CROCODILE: Intelligence & Deception To Outwit
Crocodile may have been one of the Seven Warlords and able to deceive the World Government, though he was also the leader of the Baroque Works organization. It was a shadowy cabal of mercenaries that were willing to die for him without having ever seen his face or known his true name.
With these minions at his side, he would nearly be able to stage a successful coup and become the ruler of Alabasta without either of the factions he manipulated being aware of his intentions. This displays tenacity and intelligence that would give him a natural edge against Gaara.
9 GAARA: Endurance To Outlast
One of Gaara's most frequently underrated feats is that of his profound endurance. While the shinobi himself may not be able to leap great distances, his sand can attack his opponents even when he is exhausted.
This is on account of the fact that his jutsu are amplified through the spirit of his mother. Subsequently, should he manage to fatigue Crocodile (who was frequently winded during his later battles against Luffy), the Kazekage would be able to capitalize on the warlord's weakness and strike a decisive blow that would end the battle.
8 CROCODILE: Durability To Withstand Multiple Impacts
Crocodile's possesses profound durability that vastly surpasses his ninja opponent's. He is able to disperse his body into sand, making him impervious to all forms of physical attack.
The only way to overcome this is by drenching him in liquid. Even then, the man was able to endure dozens of concentrated punches from Luffy, defeating the Straw Hat during their second encounter. Conversely, a single barrage of Rock Lee's strikes were enough to critically injure the Jinchuriki, and one of Deidara's clay detonations had a similar effect. Therefore, Gaara possesses a vulnerability that would leave him at a palpable disadvantage.
7 GAARA: Avoiding Attacks Altogether
While Crocodile may be able to withstand and endure direct attacks expediently, Gaara is much more proficient in avoiding them altogether. He can accomplish this through a number of means, including sand clones, shields, and even the ability to fly high into the air.
This would make any offense the Warlord attempts to mount challenging, especially given Gaara's experience as a seasoned shinobi. Both parties may be debilitated by water in a certain degree, but the Kazekage is much better prepared to handle and overcome it than his seafaring pirate opponent.
6 CROCODILE: His Toxic Hook
Unlike most shinobi, Gaara does not rely on a weapon to procure his victories. Instead, he is completely confident in the power of his jutsu to stave off his enemies' attacks.
While this may prove a decent strategy against opponents like Kankuro or Tenten who are physically grounded and move predictably, Crocodile's skill in dispersing his body would make his toxic hook a force to be reckoned with. Its blade was so noxious that it could even slowly melt solid rock. Without Luffy's devil fruit powers and the pliability of his body, it would have been impossible for him to survive seconds of its septic corrosion.
5 GAARA: Automatic & Defensive Reflexes By His Sand
Another excellent perk of Gaara's infused sand is that of his reflexes. Not only can he command the grains like an extension of his own body, but it will also operate autonomously to defend him if he is in dire peril. This was demonstrated during his battle against Rock Lee, where his jutsu was still effective despite his inability to follow the taijutsu master's movements.
Conversely, Crocodile is only able to block against attacks with as much grace as his experience could afford him. This was depicted in his ability to dodge Robin's water vial. Unfortunately for him, his dexterity pales in comparison to the Kazekage's.
4 CROCODILE: Striking Power & Range With Devastating Swings
Crocodile is able to concentrate his attacks into devastating swings which would prove difficult for Gaara to overcome. This was seen his battle against Luffy, where such force was potent enough to crack part of an entire castle.
As impervious as the Kazekage's shields might be, they are not invulnerable to harm, as seen through the fight against Sasuke and his chidori during the Chunin Exams. Given that the Warlord's attack has range to avoid Gaara's spikes (and the durability to ignore them regardless), it would make his opponent's usual means of protection obsolete.
3 GAARA: Reliable Allies To Back Him Up
Gaara has always surrounded himself with strong friends, whether before his redemption or after it. Kankuro and Temari were both talented shinobi whose jutsu rivaled the most seasoned Konoha warriors, and his affiliation with Naruto would render him virtually unstoppable.
Though Crocodile's Baroque Works agents are formidable in their own right, none of them would be able to overcome the insidious poisons of Gaara's brother or the range of his sister's fan (barring Daz Bonez, on account of his unique physiology). This would secure their defeat.
2 CROCODILE: Versatility With An Additional Ability To Dehydrate His Opponent
As commendable as Gaara's sand jutsu might be, his abilities are limited and ultimately predictable. Though Crocodile's arsenal is similar to the Jinchuriki's, he has many more tools that could take his adversary unawares.
Among them is his talent to dehydrate anything around him. While his preferred application of this skill is to turn his foes into desiccated husks, he can also destroy the ground he stands on, withering anyone whose feet are touching the floor.
1 WINNER: Crocodile
Gaara may be more proficient at using sand than Crocodile is, with agility to keep himself from the Warlord's rapacious hands or noxious hook. However, the Kazekage's shields would prove insufficient against one of his enemy's powerful cleaves, defeating him with a single foolhardy mistake.
Further, as lethal as the shinobi's jutsu might be, his favorite technique - the sand coffin - would be useless against Crocodile since he cannot be physically crushed. This would force Gaara to aggressively seek a body of water for him to even stand a chance against his enemy, one that almost certainly wouldn't be available.