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West Indies batting legend Brian Lara has thrown his weight behind two young Indian batsmen, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, as potential challengers to his long-standing red-ball records.
Lara’s name has been synonymous with batting excellence for over two decades. His unbeaten 400 in a Test match against England (2004) and his unbeaten 501 in a first-class game (1994) remain the highest individual scores in their respective formats.
However, Lara believes the aggressive batting style prevalent in modern cricket makes these records vulnerable. He highlighted the example of the 1970s and 80s, where legends like Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, known for their attacking approach, couldn’t surpass the then-record of 365 held by Gary Sobers.
But Lara pointed out that his era witnessed several batsmen like Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, and others who consistently challenged or breached the 300-run mark.
“The current crop of international cricketers seems to favor an aggressive batting approach,” Lara remarked in a recent interview with the Daily Mail. He identified England’s Zak Crawley and Harry Brook, alongside India’s Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, as players who possess the potential to break records “if they find the right circumstances.”
This is a unique take by Lara, not only for crediting young talent but also for acknowledging the evolving nature of Test cricket. With the emphasis on scoring rate increasing, Lara’s seemingly untouchable records might just be within reach for the new generation of aggressive batsmen.
