“Brian Lara Declares Most Talented Player Ever, Excludes Sachin Tendulkar and Himself”

Brian Lara Declares Carl Hooper the Most Talented Player of All Time

Two of cricket’s finest batters, India’s Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies’ Brian Lara, have left an indelible mark on the sport. Tendulkar, the all-time leading run-scorer in both Tests (15,921) and ODIs (18,426), and Lara, who holds the record for the highest individual scores in Tests (400) and First-Class Cricket (501), have both set numerous records that remain unbroken. Despite their mutual admiration, Lara recently named a player he considers to be even more naturally gifted than himself or Tendulkar: his former teammate Carl Hooper.

In his new book, Lara lavished praise on Hooper, describing him as the most talented player he has ever seen. “Carl was easily one of the best players I’ve ever seen. I would say that not even Tendulkar and myself would come close to that talent,” Lara wrote. He pointed out that Hooper’s statistics improved significantly when he captained the West Indies, suggesting that the added responsibility brought out the best in him. “Separate Carl’s career from playing to captaining and his numbers are very different. As a captain he averaged near to 50, so he enjoyed the responsibility. It’s sad that only as a captain did he fulfil his true potential.”

Lara also touched on the relationship between Hooper and legendary West Indies batter Vivian Richards. He noted that Richards, known for his stern demeanour, had a special admiration for Hooper. “Viv Richards never cried down on a person because he didn’t want them to be great like him. His sternness was who he was, but he never wanted you not to do well. And look, Viv loved Carl. Much more than he loved me, that’s for sure. But the way Viv shows love didn’t resonate with Carl,” Lara explained.

In recent comments to The Daily Mail, Lara also identified contemporary players who he believes could potentially break his record of 400 runs in a Test innings. He highlighted aggressive players from both the England and Indian teams. “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. They were pretty much aggressive players,” Lara said.

Today, Lara sees similar potential in England’s Zak Crawley and Harry Brook, as well as India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. “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,” he added.

Lara’s reflections on Hooper and his views on the future of cricket underscore his deep understanding of the game and its players. His recognition of Hooper’s talent highlights the often underappreciated skills of his former teammate, while his optimism about the next generation suggests that cricket fans may witness new records being set in the years to come.