Click here for Wisden's video special Brian Lara may have endured a lean spell in the recent Test series against India, but he remains the world's best batsman, according to three of the greats of West Indian cricket.

In an exclusive interview with Wisden.com, Sir Garry Sobers, Michael Holding and Desmond Haynes were invited to compare the relative merits of Lara and Sachin Tendulkar, whose much-anticipated showdown failed to live up to the pre-series expectations.

"If both players were playing at their best throughout their careers, every time they were at the crease, Sachin would have to come second to Brian," says Holding. Tendulkar is a younger man, he adds, and will go on to score more runs and more centuries, but Lara, even now, has not achieved nearly as much as he is capable of.

Sir Garry agrees, suggesting that Tendulkar concentrates that little bit better at the crease, though there are signs that Lara in the last couple of years "has been putting that mental attitude into operation."

The last word, however, has to go to Haynes. In a revealing interview, he longs for Test cricket to return to being a test of character. He names Lara, Tendulkar and Steve Waugh as the three best batsmen of recent times, but he believes that none of them has truly mastered short-pitched bowling, least of all Waugh, whom he describes as "dodgy".

Tendulkar, says Haynes, has a tighter technique, but Lara takes the plaudits because his best innings have been "more of a team thing."

"Tendulkar has got Dravid and Laxman for support, but Lara, for years, was struggling on his own, and a lot of people don't understand that. It's a lot of pressure when you know you are the premier batsman."

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