Brian Lara earmarks 2 Indian batters to break 2 of his red-ball batting records
Ex-West Indian batting legend Brian Lara reckons his red-ball records will be overhauled sometime in the near future. The Trinidadian believes the aggressive nature of today's batters makes it possible to do so and has earmarked Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as ones who could do so.
The former player has held two batting records in the red-ball format for over two decades. The left-hander scored an unbeaten 400 against England in 2004, which remains the highest individual score in Tests. Lara went on to register an unbeaten 501 during a first-class fixture in 1994, making it the highest individual tally in the format.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Lara believes Gary Sobers' 365 should have been surpassed by the likes of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.
"I was always sort of puzzled that Sir Garfield Sobers' record wasn't broken in the 1970s and 80s, when you had the aggression of Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards.
"There were players in my time who challenged, or at least went past the 300 mark - Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sanath Jayasuriya."
Nevertheless, the left-hander reckons the current era has many such players capable of doing it.
"They were pretty much aggressive players. How many aggressive players do you have playing today?
"Especially in the England team. Zak Crawley and Harry Brook. Maybe in the Indian team? Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill. If they find the right situation, the records could be broken - both of them."
The most recent player to score a Test triple-hundred is David Warner, doing so against Pakistan in 2019 at the Adelaide Oval. He had the opportunity to surpass Lara, but Tim Paine declared the innings when Warner was on 335.
"The bowling attack is young but quietly very, very dangerous" - Brian Lara on West Indies
With the West Indies set to lock horns against England in a three-Test series, Lara reckons the Caribbeans must win the first day of the Test to avoid chasing the game (via the aforementioned source):
"England have a totally different approach. They’re looking to be 100 runs plus in the first session. The bowling attack is young but quietly very, very dangerous with guys like Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph.
"But if West Indies is going to be successful against England, they've got to win the first day of the Test match, whether it be with bat or ball. Lose it, and it's very difficult to come back against a team that plays in that kind of attacking nature."
The first Test begins on Wednesday, July 10, at Lord's, which will also mark the legendary James Anderson's last for England.