The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : `Tendulkar ranks among the all-time greats'

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Saturday, Jul 29, 2006

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Sport - Cricket

`Tendulkar ranks among the all-time greats'

New Delhi: Then captain of the national team, a scholarship lured him to swap bat for books but Grenada Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell remains loyal to his first love and his list of cricket greats includes batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

Dr. Mitchell — also the chairman of the CARICOM Prime Minister's sub-committee on cricket — said he is an ardent Tendulkar fan with a disliking for the usual Tendulkar-Brian Lara comparison.

``Tendulkar, without an iota of doubt, ranks among the all-time greats. I just like him. He is such an exciting player. A great player's hallmark is whatever be the situation, he comes and starts dictating terms and that's what Tendulkar has done so often,'' he said.

He, however, steers clear of the Lara vs. Tendulkar debate and insists that it is impossible to compare the two batting maestros.

``There can't be comparison between them. Both are great players and the difference is while one is right-hander, the other is a southpaw.''

Dr. Mitchell also has high respect for Little Master Sunil Gavaskar. ``Of course we remember him. How can you forget his 1970-71 debut? I tell you, he was the most difficult batsman to bowl to,'' he said of the legendary opener. — UNI

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