I did this analysis before Lara's 400* and 120 and before Tendulkar's 241* and 194*. That, said, their ratings did not change very significantly thus. This was an argument that i got into who was better between Sachin and Lara. I am sure that many Indian/Sachin fans will have much to say but i will take the criticisms nonetheless
I will maintain that teams like Australia and India are batting teams. They have a loaded batting lineup with experienced players who average in the 40s and 50s. The only players like that for WI are Lara and Chanderpaul (44.3). In addition, WI does not have the kind of bowling that India has. India has a world class strike bowler in Kumble, who is well backed up by the likes of Nehra, Srinath etc. WI has no bowler like this. Our most successful Test Bowler, Dillon, has 120 wickets at 32.00 in 40 matches. Hence, the PRESSURE is always on Lara to score runs. ALWAYS. There are occasions when the WI pull through without fhim, but it is sporadic with never regularity.
One has to look deeper than statistics for the answers. This is why Lara has so many top rated innings. This is why PWC has him ranked so many times above 900 points, a virtual impossibility for others. Only Hayden and Ponting, two very good players, but two players who play on the #1 side and claim what is known as a win bonus, have managed to brach 900 points. Tendulkar has come tantalisingly close at 899, but he hasn't yet.
I am under no illusions. Lara has found a rich vein of form stretching back about a year. He will not find run making always as easy (as Tendulkar would not always find it easy to make runs), but what he has shown is that when he is at his best, he is better than Tendulkar (or anyone else for that matter) at his best. There are no comparisons. HENCE, he is the better player. IT has been shown so many times.
Lara's top PWC ratings are
1.912 v SA in 2004 AWAY
2.908 v Australia in 1999 HOME
3.906 v SL in 2001 AWAY
4.904 v Australia in 1999 HOME
5.903 v SA in 2004 AWAY
6.902 v England in 1995 AWAY
SIX times above 900. Lets se what Tendulkar has done:
1.899 v ZIMBABWE in 2002 HOME
2.897 v ZIMBABWE in 2001 AWAY
3.894 v Australia in 2001 HOME
4.892 v ZIMBABWE in 2001 AWAY
5.891 v ZIMBABWE in 2002 HOME
=.891 v WI in 2002 AWAY
So, Lara scores his highest rating AWAY from home against the 2nd ranked side in the WORLD. His exploits include 4 of his top 6 rated innings coming in against the TOP 2 sides in world cricket and 4 of his top 6 AWAY from home.
Tendulkar scores 4 of his top 6 against the MIGHT of ZIMBABWE and he had to do it at HOME!!!! (3 times of his 6).
You see, these ratings take more into account than his demi-god value in the subcontinent. They take more than player popularity into account. They actually rate a batsman on how they play CRICKET. NOTHING ELSE!