Allan Lamb Settles the Debate: Declares Sachin Tendulkar Superior to Virat Kohli

Former England cricketer Allan Lamb has weighed in on the enduring debate, selecting his all-time favorite Indian batter.

Virat Kohli bows down to Sachin Tendulkar after breaking his record of most number of centuries in the ODIs during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Lamb, 71, who participated in three World Cups and 79 Tests for England, stated unequivocally that Sachin Tendulkar remains the best cricketer India has ever produced.

"Sachin easily," Lamb told PTI, settling the debate swiftly.

He humorously recounted his early encounter with Tendulkar, claiming a role in the legendary batsman's rise to fame: "I played against him when he was 18. I dropped him at slip and he went on to get 100 (in a Test match). So I always say to him, it was me that made your name."

Elaborating on his preference, Lamb explained why he places Tendulkar above both Gavaskar and Kohli.

"Kohli is a brilliant player, he's got all the shots, he can score quickly. But if you want the best player I played against, that Indian player is Sachin, even ahead of Sunny," Lamb asserted.

He added a caveat, expressing a wish to have witnessed Tendulkar face the formidable West Indies pace attack: "The only thing I would have liked was to see Sachin play against the West Indies, where Sunny scored runs against the West Indies. He was probably the only Indian to score runs against those quicks."

Beyond the debate of batting greats, Lamb revealed that his personal favorite Indian cricketer is Kapil Dev, his former teammate at Northamptonshire.

"I loved the way Kapil Dev played. We played together at Northampton," he recalled fondly.

Lamb shared an anecdote highlighting Dev's ambition: "I remember him coming over and me saying, 'Kapi, I'm so pleased that you've come over. We need to strengthen our bowling.' He said, 'No, I haven’t come to strengthen my bowling. I've come to better my batting. I've come here as a batsman,' which I always enjoyed."