The Evening Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Sachin Tendulkar has been labelled the greatest cricketer in history by the player often described as the equal of the Indian legend.
Tendulkar will tomorrow play his 200th and final Test, against the West Indies in Mumbai, to bring down the curtain on a remarkable sporting career. He will become the first man to reach the double-century milestone when the match starts in Mumbai, his home ground.
The 40-year-old, known as the Little Master, has scored 15,847 runs in 199 Tests and 18,426 runs in 463 one-day internationals, making him the highest run-scorer in international cricket.
During the 1990s and 2000s, there was great debate about whether Tendulkar or Brian Lara was the best batsman of the era.
Yet as Tendulkar prepares to bow out, Lara gave his own view on the argument by placing his one-time rival above all others.
Lara said: "Tendulkar has had the greatest cricket career of anyone who has ever played the game. The impact he has had on his game, his country, the rest of the world - is incredible.
"His stats speak for themselves. I don't think there is any 16-year-old who is going to embark on the sort of career that Sachin Tendulkar has had and walk away from the game at 40 with such great achievements.
"He's the Muhammad Ali and the Michael Jordan of cricket. You think of the great boxers and basketball players, but if you were to talk about the game then you would have to talk about Sachin.
"If I had a son who wanted to play cricket I wouldn't have told him to watch my videos but instead ask him to look for Sachin's (videos) as he has the perfect technique against any kind of bowling. It is the best I have ever seen, perfect for a youngster to learn from.
"His longevity is amazing. He started couple of years ahead of me and ended six after I retired. These 24 years are testimony to his skills, dedication and fitness level. His zeal while playing for India was simply amazing. I know he has had a tough time playing for 1.3 billion people."
The end of this Test will bring to a conclusion the career of a man who became an icon for both his sport and his country, in which he was adored to a level difficult to imagine for those who have not witnessed it. Many lovers of cricket across the world will be hoping he can sign off with a century.
