Shaun Pollock Weighs In On Sachin Tendulkar vs Brian Lara Debate

One of the hallmarks of some best batsmen in world cricket is how they adapt to various conditions. The best players seem to find a way to score runs, regardless of how the pitch or weather behaves on any given day. Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara have often come under debates among the bowlers, making them choose, who was the toughest to bowl to. Former South African seamer Shaun Pollock has weighed in on some discussions circling the same.

Also Read: Glenn McGrath Names His Pick Between Sachin Tendulkar And Brian Lara

Both Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara have managed to cause headaches amongst the best bowlers during their playing days. The Indian icon troubled the likes of Curtly Ambrose and Shane Warne on his way to being the highest run-getter in Tests and ODIs. On the other hand, the Prince of Trinidad, widely regarded as one of the best left-handed batsmen, has the record of making the highest individual score in Tests. Bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan and Wasim Akram have labelled Lara as one of the toughest to bowl to.

When asked Shaun Pollock, who shared an intriguing rivalry with Sachin, picked the Indian batsman, who was challenging to get away with. The 108-Test veteran claimed that it was an uphill task to plan against the batting maestro, especially in the sub-continent, where he was near-invincible. Shaun Pollock’s men merely hoped that Sachin would commit a mistake that would lead to his downfall.

The 46-year old liked how well the 200-Test veteran understood his gameplay. The South African went on to reveal an incident when Sachin would find it hard to deal with short-pitched deliveries before making a trip to Australia. Due to this, he would guide the ball over the keeper and slip cordon.

“It was how well he understood his game and how he would adjust. He talked to me once about going to Australia and understanding he couldn’t take on the short-pitched deliveries anymore so he would ramp the ball over the wicketkeeper and slip. There were times, especially in the subcontinent, where you thought, ‘I’m not sure we can knock this guy over’. We were hoping he would make a mistake, rather than had a genuine plan.” Shaun Pollock said as quoted by Times Now.

Shaun Pollock chooses Lara over Sachin if his team would be chasing around 400 on the final day:

Furthermore, when asked about the man he would pick to bat in all the conditions, Shaun Pollock remained firm on picking Tendulkar again. However, the former Proteas’ pace spearhead opted for Lara in case of pursuing 400 on the final day. One of the legendary knocks of the Prince of Trinidad is remembered when talking about run-chases.

The West Indian legend scored an unbeaten 153 against Australia in Barbados in 1998-99. The batting line-up of the hosts stumbled; however, the southpaw stood firm to complete the chase of 309 to deliver a victory by one wicket.

“If I have to choose any batsman to bat in any conditions, it is a real toss-up between Tendulkar and Lara, but I would just choose Tendulkar. If we have to chase 400 runs on the last day, I would definitely pick Lara.” he added.

Also Read: Glenn McGrath Reveals His Test Hat-Trick Wishlist