Ricky Ponting rates Lara above Tendulkar

[vaibhavtewatia]

How significant is Sachin Tendulkar vs Brian Lara debate now? - Times Of India

This should help!

 

[Aalay]

I was going to post that article but then thought it would be worthless because it still would not stop people from comparing them both.

 

[Satan666]

How significant is Sachin Tendulkar vs Brian Lara debate now? - Times Of India

This should help!

Read this article this morning, and found it quite funny, theyre saying on one hand dont compare Lara/Sachin but on the other hand theyre saying that Sachin has more runs and centuries so he is better than Lara, how hypocritical.

They also lambaste Ponting and Afridi for voicing their opinion and insulted the Pakistani and Australian cricket teams for their respective rankings in test cricket. Poor and desperate journalism, typical of the Indians though!

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I was going to post that article but then thought it would be worthless because it still would not stop people from comparing them both.

Exactly, what is there to compare? Its obvious that Lara is better than Tendulkar!

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It would be dumb If I have followed career of two people since I know cricket and even played with them for several years and still can't tell which one is better. He has seen both Wasim and Waqar over the years bowling for Pakistan. If you have good enough understanding of cricket and if you have watched them so close over the years, you should be able make a judgement. Similarly as he did on Sachin and Lara.

Playing alongside someone and playing against them are two different things brother!

 

[Aalay]

Exactly, what is there to compare? Its obvious that Lara is better than Tendulkar!

And the boat sinks again. Why did I even visit this thread?

 

[Satan666]

And the boat sinks again. Why did I even visit this thread?

Haha, relax mate we all have different opinions, and whether I like or not I must respect your opinion. However so many past players, accomplished cricketers and pundits of the game have all rated Lara above Tendulkar. Even some staunch Sachin followers say Lara looks more classier than Tendulkar when he is in full flight!

 

[vorgaphe]

I would rate Lara above Tendulkar, based on his ability to play long and exceptional innings. Lara has the second most double hundreds of any batsmen with 9 doubles (including his two triples). On the other hand Tendulkar, who has played considerably more test matches, has 6, the same amount as Ponting.

It is this ability from Lara to score huge scores, often around 50% of his team's score, when under huge pressure from his fans to rescue them that makes me rate him higher. This is contrasted by Tendulkar who has 10 scores between 100 and 110 whereas Lara has just 2. This demonstrates that Tendulkar loses focus after reaching a personal milestone more often that Lara. In addition to this, two of Tendulkar's doubles (including his highest score) have come against Zimbabew and Bangladesh. This is not the case for Lara.

Lastly, Lara had to cope with administrative issues that Tendulkar never did. Lara was often captain of a divided dressing room and had a difficult relationship with his board, yet he still delivered. Tendulkar was free of these issues. Also, Lara was a more attractive stroke maker.

 

[zeustrojanstark]

Phew!

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

not on the topic of who is best but more wondering if a players opinion really counts for much more than a journo's or average viewers.

"I have always maintained that he (Tendulkar) at his best was fractionally ahead of Brian Lara at his best, and they are the best two batsmen I have played against,"

- Captain's Diary, Ricky Ponting

considering 2009-2011 is considered one of tendulkars best periods seems odd he's changed his mind.

 

[Satan666]

Also, Lara was a more attractive stroke maker.

Exactly, this is what Afridi was alluding to also when he said that Lara is a class above the rest.

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not on the topic of who is best but more wondering if a players opinion really counts for much more than a journo's or average viewers.

"I have always maintained that he (Tendulkar) at his best was fractionally ahead of Brian Lara at his best, and they are the best two batsmen I have played against,"

- Captain's Diary, Ricky Ponting

considering 2009-2011 is considered one of tendulkars best periods seems odd he's changed his mind.

Yes a player, especially a great player such as Ponting views does count, any sane thinking person would agree with same! Also many past players such as Ian Chappel who has wrote many columns and articles can be referred as a 'journo', even he said that Lara is better!


http://sports.ndtv.com/ind-aus-2011...ra-higher-than-ricky-ponting-sachin-tendulkar
Yes Ricky Ponting has finally seen the light and rates Lara better than Tendulkar. I remember Ponting once saying also that all the batsmen including Lara are on one hand and that Sachin was on the other, but thankfully he finally realizes that Tendulkar is a cut below Lara.

Interesting article:

http://www.sify.com/khel/wc_fullstory.php?id=14324547

 

[AkshayC]

It's not an easy job to play as many numbers of games as Sachin played in his whole cricketing career ! Probably if we compare both in their primes Lara would have a slight edge over him and moreover if we compare them by levelling up their stats too (same no of matches) still Lara would be ahead IMO !

 

[Satan666]

It's not an easy job to play as many numbers of games as Sachin played in his whole cricketing career ! Probably if we compare both in their primes Lara would have a slight edge over him and moreover if we compare them by levelling up their stats too (same no of matches) still Lara would be ahead IMO !

True that mate. You cant argue Tendulkar's longevity in the game, but if we say he is better because of his longevity then we can say that Border was better batsman than Greg Chappel since he scored more runs and played more matches!

 

[AkshayC]

but if we say he is better because of his longevity then we can say that Border was better batsman than Greg Chappel since he scored more runs and played more matches!

Haha !
One more if only longevity is concerned than Tendulkar > Bradman.

 

[aditya123]

True that mate. You cant argue Tendulkar's longevity in the game, but if we say he is better because of his longevity then we can say that Border was better batsman than Greg Chappel since he scored more runs and played more matches!

Yeah, but you would be a fool to say its easier to average 53 over 200 test matches rather than over 20 test matches. Tendulkar has had to maintain that average for over 200 tests and that is far beyond what Lara or Ponting has played. This is the logevity that people talk of. Further, just look at Lara`s stats in test matches won by West Indies and Tendulkar`s stats in the same context and you`d know how far ahead Tendulkar is in that context. Third, Tendulkar`s performances against Australia at their prime, both home and away is way better than Lara, so is his record against England.

To say that Lara`s ability to score big double hundreds and triple/quadruple make him a greater matchwinner is foolish. Yes, Tendulkar has never scored triple or quadruple hundreds but his career has been more about consistency than Lara`s career. Look at Lara`s scores in the series against England in 2004 when he scored that 400 . On either side of that 400 he had pretty much poor scores and that was for most part the story of his career.

I`m a huge Lara fan and would admit that his batting had more the element of unknown which made him more exciting but even then I would rather have Tendulkar in my side over him, purely for consistency. In terms of ability, I would put them on par but Sachin, whether you like it or not has been more consistently good thereby his performances in tests have never been viewed as miracles unlike those of Lara. Lara, on the other hand owing to some really poor players in his side was made to look like far more of a miracle man than Sachin (somewhat like Sachin of the 90s).
Tendulkar`s knocks in Australia 2008 or England in 2002 or SA in 2011 were all class innings. Its just that people dont brand them as matchwinning or whatever because they have already made up their mind on the great man.

 

[Satan666]

Yeah, but you would be a fool to say its easier to average 53 over 200 test matches rather than over 20 test matches. Tendulkar has had to maintain that average for over 200 tests and that is far beyond what Lara or Ponting has played. This is the logevity that people talk of. Further, just look at Lara`s stats in test matches won by West Indies and Tendulkar`s stats in the same context and you`d know how far ahead Tendulkar is in that context. Third, Tendulkar`s performances against Australia at their prime, both home and away is way better than Lara, so is his record against England.

To say that Lara`s ability to score big double hundreds and triple/quadruple make him a greater matchwinner is foolish. Yes, Tendulkar has never scored triple or quadruple hundreds but his career has been more about consistency than Lara`s career. Look at Lara`s scores in the series against England in 2004 when he scored that 400 . On either side of that 400 he had pretty much poor scores and that was for most part the story of his career.

I`m a huge Lara fan and would admit that his batting had more the element of unknown which made him more exciting but even then I would rather have Tendulkar in my side over him, purely for consistency. In terms of ability, I would put them on par but Sachin, whether you like it or not has been more consistently good thereby his performances in tests have never been viewed as miracles unlike those of Lara. Lara, on the other hand owing to some really poor players in his side was made to look like far more of a miracle man than Sachin (somewhat like Sachin of the 90s).
Tendulkar`s knocks in Australia 2008 or England in 2002 or SA in 2011 were all class innings. Its just that people dont brand them as matchwinning or whatever because they have already made up their mind on the great man.

I cant argue with his longevity or consistency, never have. Similarly based on consistency I would put Sachin in my eleven. Most members here have misunderstood why I rate Lara higher, and its simply cuz he is a better batsman, played better shots, looked better with the bat, always had captains on the opposing sides changing their fields, he controlled the pace of the game and attack certain bowlers at will.

Furthermore it would also be foolish to think that Ponting and Lara if were able to play close to 200 tests may not have averaged over 50 or even the great Don Bradman!

Now I am not sure where you get your stats from but against the Aussie Lara averaged 51 while Sachin averaged 55 against them, puts Tendulkar slightly ahead. Against the English Lara averaged 62 while Tendulkar averaged 51, Lara way ahead!

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[aditya123]

I cant argue with his longevity or consistency, never have. Similarly based on consistency I would put Sachin in my eleven. Most members here have misunderstood why I rate Lara higher, and its simply cuz he is a better batsman, played better shots, looked better with the bat, always had captains on the opposing sides changing their fields, he controlled the pace of the game and attack certain bowlers at will.

Furthermore it would also be foolish to think that Ponting and Lara if were able to play close to 200 tests may not have averaged over 50 or even the great Don Bradman!

Now I am not sure where you get your stats from but against the Aussie Lara averaged 51 while Sachin averaged 55 against them, puts Tendulkar slightly ahead. Against the English Lara averaged 62 while Tendulkar averaged 51, Lara way ahead!

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Check for Tendulkar against England in England as compared to Lara. Lara`s average against England is massively bloated by his two scores of 375* and 400*.