Shane Warne picks Sachin Tendulkar over Brian Lara to bat for life

Australian legend Shane Warne has picked iconic Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar over West Indian Brian Lara to ‘bat’ for his life.

Regarded to be the world’s best leg-spinner, Warne has always been outspoken in his words. He refused to get into the comparison between Tendulkar and Lara – two of the Australian’s greatest nemesis but rather called them two of the greatest batsmen of his generation.

“Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, easily, were the best batsmen of our generation, my time. If I want someone to score a hundred on the final day of the Test series, I would send Lara. But if I want someone to bat for my life day in, day out, I would send Tendulkar, he was a class act,” the 49-year-old told NDTV, reported the PTI, during a chat about his newly released autography “No Spin.”

Warne took over 1000 wickets during his playing career but was often smashed all over the park by Tendulkar, especially in the tri-nation tournament match at Sharjah in 1998. A match Warne said gave him ‘nightmares’ for the years that followed.

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He had, however, later clarified in 2010 that the ‘nightmare’ comment was made in a lighter vein and he was not afraid of Tendulkar.

Warne, who has 708 wickets in Tests and 293 ODI wickets also spoke about the well-documented allegations about the bookies approaching him to fix in matches.

His poor record in Test matches in India, however, does not bother him said, Warne. In nine Tests in India, Warne has taken 34 wickets with an average of 43.11 and with just one five-wicket haul.

“It’s not a regret. I had a shoulder and a finger operation in two of the tours in India which was really disappointing. The Indian side back then with Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman and Sehwag. It was very hard over there in India. I gave my best but they were too good,” added Warne, who in other countries combined has an average of just 24.52 according to ESPNcricinfo.

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The Australian also talked about the motive of his book and what is all about.

“The book is an intense, personal account of my life. I’ve been brutally honest in the book. About my personal life, my relationship with my children, cricket family.”

Image Source: India TV