Size comparisons

[Wolverine]

Obviously gaur and the wild water buffalo have quite similar robustness of the neck and are equally vulnerable (unvulnerable) for neck strangulation. Then developes the question which of these two herbivores is harder to be killed by tiger.

Advantages of the gaur
Gaur is much larger and heavier, actually the largest wild cattle in the world, so probably is the more powerful of the two bovines because usually larger body possess more rough power and energy.

Advantages of the wild water buffalo
1. Wild buffalo seems to has  better group defense, the animals of the herd protect each other more actively and efficiently.  
2. Wild buffalo is more aggressive of the two species, only for one year in Kaziranga buffaloes probably kill more people than gaurs in all India.

So, as a part of the herd I think wild buffalo is harder to be killed by tiger than gaur. But if we talk about solitary animals probably for tiger is harder to kill solitary bull gaur than solitary male buffalo because gaur is much larger.

@Jimmy, maybe we can experiment with this image left by @Rishi in order to assess is it possible for tiger to strangulate an adult male gaur or male water buffalo. If we imagine that herbivore's neck on the image has a vertical diameter of 49 cm (the larger of the diameters) probably the tiger's  head and jaws could be adjusted and assessed how deep will reach inside the flesh, but from the bottom side where is the throat.

*This image is copyright of its original author

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