Lara wants Sachin to break his 400-run record

Mumbai:

Congratulating batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first person to hit a double hundred in One-Day Internationals, West Indies cricket great Brian Lara on Thursday said that he would be happy if the Indian went on to surpass his score of unbeaten 400 in Test cricket.

"The feat is an outstanding achievement. He is the first person to score a double hundred in ODIs. Sachin still has the strength, character, and physical fitness to achieve the feat," Lara told reporters here.

"I'd be happy if Sachin breaks my record of 400 not out in Test cricket," said the stylish southpaw, who scored 400 not out against England in 2004 in Antigua.

Sachin has been playing cricket since the tender age of 16 years. Still he retains the same enthusiasm and energy, he added.

Lara said that Sachin's feat faced a threat from the current generation of cricketers.

"Records are meant to be broken and there are many young talented cricketers who are capable of breaking this record," he said.

Many cricketers like Ponting, Sehwag and Gayle are all capable of breaking the record, he said.

"It's an unnecessary comparison of players of different eras. One needs to appreciate a player's performance rather that comparing," he added.

Lara said that Sachin had the capability to do well in the 2011 ODI World Cup to be held in the Indian sub-continent.

"If I had a son I would have wanted him to play like Sachin," he added.

Asked whether he would like to make a comeback through the IPL, Lara replied in the negative.

"I haven't played cricket in the last two-three years and I don't intend to play cricket now."