Brian Lara is fully recovered from his elbow injury and looking forward to the challenge of playing against Sachin Tendulkar in the upcoming series against India in the Caribbean. "Tendulkar is the best player in the world, and playing cricket on the same pitch as him is a challenge," Lara told Star News during an interview at his home in Port-of-Spain in Trinidad.

Lara, who dislocated his elbow after a collision with a fielder while running between the wickets during West Indies' tour of Sri Lanka in January, said he was fit and raring to go in the five-Test series against the Indians, which starts on April 11.

"I think it is going to be exciting," said Lara. "They love our conditions. It is going to be a tough series for us also, and I would love to be part of the challenge."

The battle between Lara and Tendulkar is expected to be the highlight of the demanding tour. Lara, 32, has scored 7221 runs from 83 Tests at an average of 50.49, with 18 centuries and 34 half-centuries. And Tendulkar, who turns 29 on April 24, has 7673 runs from 91 Tests at 58.57, with 28 hundreds and 30 half-centuries.

Tendulkar is way ahead in the one-day international arena, with 11,069 runs and 31 centuries – both world records – from 286 matches. Lara, who has played 93 fewer matches, has scored 7257 runs, with 14 hundreds.

Lara had roared back to his best form prior to the injury in Sri Lanka, hammering Muttiah Muralitharan and the other bowlers for 688 runs in just three Tests. "I thought I had turned the corner in my career," said Lara. "But because of the injury, I have to restart ... I am hoping to get back into form quickly so that I can play against India."

Lara, whose record-breaking knocks of 375 in Tests and 501 not out in first-class cricket in the space of a few months in 1994 are part of cricket folklore, said Tendulkar was a joy to watch. "Records are meant to be broken and if I had to pick a person to do that now, it has to be Tendulkar. He is the best batsman I have ever played against and a joy to watch. "I mean, 11,000 runs in one-dayers and more than 7000 in Tests. Wow, anyone will be proud of that."

Lara saw a remarkable similarity with Tendulkar in the captaincy stakes – both have stepped down as captain of their teams. "I spoke to Sachin about captaincy, and he appeared to have similar problems," said Lara. "Neither of us received the kind of support we needed from our respective Boards.

"I would love to concentrate on my part of the game, which is batting, and leave the leadership to someone else. Until I see a change for the betterment of leadership of the West Indies, where a captain is given full support and the tools he needs to do well, I think I will stay on the sidelines."

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd