Bridgetown (Barbados), Jul 1: Legendary West Indian opener Gordon Greenidge admires the hunger for runs in Sachin Tendulkar and feels the Indian cricket icon would even be batting if he is on crutches.
“He could be playing even if he is on crutches. He is the one I would pay to watch,” said Greenidge.
“I don't miss whenever he is playing. I don't follow cricket but when he comes to bat I am glued to TV screen,” said the former West Indies opener who made 7558 runs from 108 Tests at 44.72 average and smashed 19 centuries and 34 fifties.
Greendige also put his mind to comparing the different Indian batsmen of the present era which cricket experts believe is the ‘Golden Age' of Indian batting.
“I admire his (Tendulkar's) craftsmanship. There is artistry in his batting. It's the same with Dravid and Laxman. Sehwag is probably more attacking than all of them but to me, I would prefer Sachin over Sehwag,” he said.
Greenidge and Desmond Haynes formed a formidable opening pair and were one of the prime reasons why West Indies cricket ruled the world cricket for 15 years.
“My stand with Haynes wasn't a quick-fix success story.
We batted well because of the longevity of our association. There was not instant chemistry or anything,” revealed Greendige.
Greenidge and Haynes opened in 148 innings together and scored 6482 runs between them. They had 16 centuries and 26 fifty stands at an average of 47.31 with the highest partnership of 298 runs. It has not been bettered by any other opening pair till date.
India's Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir have so far put on 3551 runs from 63 innings with 10 century and 19 half century stands at an average of 59.18. PTI
