Career Longevity (5 pts.)

 

At time of writing, Tendulkar's career is ongoing, but he has already outlasted Lara. Although Lara's international career lasted over 16 years, during which he amassed almost 12,000 runs in Tests and over 10,000 in ODIs, Tendulkar has played at the top level for 22 years and counting. During this time Tendulkar has scored over 15,000 runs in Tests and 18,000 in ODIs, and can still command a position as first name down on the Indian team sheet in either format. Although Lara had the record for most career Test runs for almost three years, Tendulkar has gone flying past him to heights that perhaps will never be bettered.

 

Tendulkar - 5

Lara - 3

 

Test high scores (5 pts.)

 

One batting record that Tendulkar does not have, and has not even come close to taking, is the record for the most monumental Test innings, still held by Lara. In a batting masterclass that lasted for 582 balls, Lara utterly demolished an English bowling attack, scoring 400 undefeated runs before the West Indies declared their innings closed. In comparison, Tendulkar's best effort so far is a relatively paltry 248* against minnows Bangladesh. Lara passed 200 nine times against non-minnow nations, Tendulkar has so far managed it only four times.

 

Tendulkar - 2

Lara - 5

 

ODI high scores (5 pts.)

 

The first man to score a double century in ODI cricket, Tendulkar pulls back some points in this category. Although Tendulkar narrowly leads in 150s scored against non-minnow nations by four to three, his coruscating 200* against a South African team that included Dale Steyn wins him the maximum. Tendulkar's record haul may have been surpassed by Virender Sehwag, leaving the Little Master with the curious record of ODI cricket's slowest double hundred, but he is still clearly ahead of Lara in this category. The West Indian's greatest innings was a comparatively humble 169.

 

Tendulkar - 5

Lara - 3

 

Test batting average (10* pts.)

 

Perhaps surprisingly for a player with two monstrous scores to his credit, one of which being a not out quadruple century, Lara's career batting average is slightly lower than Tendulkar's. Although Lara's 52.88 puts him up there with most of the greatest, Tendulkar, at time of writing, scores 55.44 runs per dismissal. Considering that Tendulkar began his Test career at such a young age, the difference is even more profound. Lara was 21 when he was thrust into the spotlight; Tendulkar was a mere 16. Taking away the first four years of Tendulkar's career, his average goes up to around 57, so he wins this category easily. 

 

Tendulkar 10

Lara 8

 

*Because strike rates in Tests count for little, this is weighted double to make it even to the two different categories in ODIs.

 

ODI batting average (5 pts.)

 

Tendulkar averages 45.16 in the shorter format of the game, and if the first four years are taken out of the reckoning this goes up to around 47. Lara, by contrast, averaged only 40.48 in ODI cricket. Although an average of 40 might get him a place in any ODI side at present, and although it may be harder to rack up massive totals on his home pitches of the West Indies, the difference is large enough to give Tendulkar a clear victory here.

 

Tendulkar 5

Lara 4

 

ODI strike rate (5 pts.)

 

It's easy to look at averages when comparing batsmen, and in Tests the average tells almost all of the story, but in ODI cricket a good strike rate is just as important. Like he was for the criterion of ODI average, Tendulkar is also comfortably ahead of Lara in ODI strike rate. Although there is nothing wrong with Lara's 79.51, it is hardly close to the 86.32 that Tendulkar boasts. Lara's strike rate might be that of a true strokemaker, but Tendulkar's is of a man who adapts to any conditions and can give the ball a bash when the circumstances demand it.

 

Tendulkar 5

Lara 4

 

Test matchwinning (5 pts.)

 

In some ways more important than mere averages is how much either batsman contributed to the winning of matches with their feats of the willow. This comparison is closer than for most of the others in this analysis: Lara needed 10.9 matches on average to win a Man of the Match award, Tendulkar needed 13.4. Even if you take into account that Lara probably had less competition from his own teammates for winning such accolades then Tendulkar did, he is still well ahead here.

 

Tendulkar 3

Lara 5

 

ODI matchwinning (5 pts.)

 

The situation is neatly reversed when it comes to the shorter format of the game: Tendulkar's record 62 Man of the Match awards have been achieved at the rate of 7.3 matches per award; Lara's 30 required an average of 9.97. Although Lara's total puts him 7th on the all-time list for most Man of the Match awards, Tendulkar sits at the very top.

 

Tendulkar 5

Lara 3

 

Miscellaneous (5 pts.)

 

The difficulty in comparing these two players chiefly arises from the fact that they played in very different match conditions. In ODIs, Tendulkar could play his natural game as an opener, knowing that some greats of the game were to follow him. In Tests, he often came in to bat after Sehwag and Dravid had broken the spirits of the opposition bowlers. Lara had neither of these luxuries. In many cases he was playing a lone hand as his team fell apart around him, and most of his innings had to be played with half his mind on his batting and the other half on the match situation. While Tendulkar might get some points back for his 199 international wickets, the fact remains that Lara had more challenges to face than his Indian rival.

 

Tendulkar 3

Lara 5

 

Overall scores (out of 50 pts.)

 

Tendulkar 43

Lara 40

 

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