subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
These are caricatures. Tendulkar was more pragmatic in how he adjusted his play based on the situation but also aggressive when he needed to be. Lara when he cut loose always seemed possible to get out and frequently did.Funny enough, all the constant reminders about Lara's strong points are making me consider if I would actually rank him above Tendulkar. I have Tendulkar ahead of Lara mainly because of longevity. But I rate Viv so highly because outside of spreadsheets, he was a real life match winner. Could turn the match around in the space of a few overs. Could decimate the opposition. Lara was similar. He could take the match away from you very quickly. Something not present in Tendulkar, who was far more methodical in his approach. I do value these traits very highly. So maybe I might just reconsider having flashes of brilliance and then fizzling out rather than someone who delivers consistently but not spectacularly.
And consistency is a must for anyone who wants to get to top tier level. What you do on top of that determines who is better.