Legends' take on Sachin Tendulkar

Every former player and current player, critics and fan has something to say about Sachin Tendulkar. Here are some of the quotes by legendary players and some of his contemporaries on the Little Master.

I saw him playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on Television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two... his compactness, technique, stroke production... it all seemed to gel: Sir Donald Bradman.

In terms of technique and compactness, Tendulkar is the best: Desmond Haynes.

I have watched a lot of Tendulkar and we have spoken to each other a lot. He has it in him to be among the very best: Sir Garfield Sobers.

He is 99.5 per cent perfect. I'd pay to see him: Sir Viv Richards.

Technically he stands out as the best because of his ability to increase the pace at will: David Boon.

There is no shame being beaten by such a great player, Sachin is perhaps only next to the Don: Steve Waugh.

Sachin is cricket's God: Barry Richards.

India's fortune will depend on how many runs the little champion scores. There is no doubt Tendulkar is the real thing: Sunil Gavaskar.

A complete batsman. He's the best in the business: Mohinder Amarnath.

Sachin is an attacker. He has much more power than Sunny. He wants to be the one to set the pace. He has to be on top. That's the buzz about him: Jeff Thompson.

If I've to bowl to Sachin, I'll bowl with my helmet on. He hits the ball so hard: Dennis Lillee.

You take Don Bradman away and he is next up I reckon: Steve Waugh.

I'll be going to bed having nightmares of Sachin just running down the wicket and belting me back over the head for six. He was unstoppable. I don't think anyone, apart from Don Bradman, is in the same class as Sachin Tendulkar. He is just an amazing player: Shane Warne.

When it comes to judging the best among these fabulous band of batsmen, my vote goes to Tendulkar. He has an uncanny ability to come out on top under different circumstances and under different conditions, whether it is Test cricket or one-day internationals. And more importantly, he has done this so young: Shane Warne.

Don't bowl him bad balls, he hits the good ones for fours: Michael Kasprowicz.

Hell, if he had stayed, even at 11 an over he would have got it: Allan Border (after India won the Coca-Cola cup in Sharjah).

He is a perfectly balanced batsman and knows perfectly well when to attack and when to play defensive cricket. He has developed the ability to treat bowlers all over the world with contempt and can destroy any attack with utmost ease: Greg Chappell.

It's scary, where the hell do we bowl to him: Allan Border.

Yeah mate, but that's with all great players: Ian Chappell.

I'd like to see him go out and bat one day with a stump. I tell you he'd do okay: Greg Chappell.

Sachin's better; Lara is more risky outside the off stump: Mark Waugh.

You have to decide for yourself whether you're bowling well or not. He's going to hit you for fours and sixes anyway. Kasprowicz has a superior story. During the Bangalore Test, frustrated, he went to Dennis Lillee and asked, "Mate, do you see any weaknesses?" Lillee replied, "No Michael, as long as you walk off with your pride that's all you can do: Shane Warne.

He's a phenomenon. We have to be switched on when he plays allow him no boundries, for then he doesn't stop: Mark Taylor.

Tendulkar is the most complete batsman I have stood behind. I saw the hundred in Perth on a bouncy pitch with Hughes, McDermott and Whitney gunning for him, he only had 60-odd when No 11 came in. I've seen him against Warne too: Ian Healy.

He has defined cricket in his fabulous, impeccable manner. He is to batting what Shane Warne is to bowling: Richie Benaud.

Sachin's the best. I've had this view since I saw him score that hundred in Sydney in 1992. He's the most composed batsman I've ever seen: Mike Coward.

He's better than Ben Hur: Paul Wilson.

The pressure on me is nothing as compared to Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin, like God, must never fail. The crowd always expects him to succeed and it is too much pressure on him: Mark Waugh.

I still think Tendulkar is the best batsmen in the world ahead of Steve Waugh and Lara: Glenn McGrath.

He is currently the best batsman in the world: Sir Gary Sobers.

There's no doubt about it. He is the best: Tony Grieg.

Technically, you can't fault Sachin. Seam or spin, fast or slow - nothing is a problem: Geoffrey Boycott.

Sometime back I had written a piece that said that Sachin's the master and Lara a genius with his head high up somewhere. That's it: Peter Roebuck.

A little genius. Reminds me of Sunny Gavaskar: Kieth Fletcher.

He is Sachin Tendulkar. I hope he stays Sachin Tendulkar. We need a new player, a player in his own way. He has a technique which is the hallmark of a great player. Everything indicates that he will be a great player and I am sure he will prove me right. Reminds me of Barry Richards: Eddie Barlow.

Destined to be a great: Barry Richards.

We have started calling him grandfather. Even at this stage, he wants to improve with every game. For him, there is no end to getting better, no matter whatever you have already achieved. He is an amazing man and I don't think any other player can go on to play for 20 years or more like he has: Yuvraj Singh.

To have survived the tough test of public expectation in India is something, which should be commended. The runs are an added bonus. He's probably the greatest player to play the game in the modern era and compares with the (Donald) Bradmans and all the legends of the past: Kumar Sangakkara.

The way Tendulkar has handled his career and lasted for so long, keeping his passion for runs alive, is a lesson for budding young cricketers: Javed Miandad.