What some cricket greats say about Sachin Tendulkar in a 44-page souvenir which was released by the Cricket Association of Bengal for last week's India vs West Indies Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata:
Sir Vivian Richards
“If I were to make a distinction between Brian (Lara) and Sachin, it would be to note that Sachin was a more committed individual. He was more consistent in his commitment to the team. Sachin also is the more disciplined cricketer between the two, and perhaps that is why he is still around, 24 years after his international debut.”
Imran Khan
“Sachin did fill a space that had been vacated by Gavaskar’s retirement. It’s hard to compare the two because both were the products of different generations, and their circumstances were different.”
Steve Waugh
“As a contemporary, I feel that he has fulfilled his destiny as a batsman in ample measure, and if I have a criticism, it is that he did not give his leg breaks any importance. I always thought he could spin the ball a lot more than many regular spinners, and could have claimed 100 Test sticks had he put his mind to it.”
Glenn McGrath
“An aspect of our duels was the exchange of words. I was always a bit chatty, but I hold the distinction of making Sachin sledge me a couple of times. Once in Nairobi during the Champions Trophy and once in Bangalore, Sachin actually took me on verbally as well as with his bat. We are both fiercely competitive, and I think some of my best moments in cricket are when I got him out.”u00a0
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