A hero, a magician, an entertainer, a match-winner, a saviour, a leader, a tragic romantic, Brian Charles Lara, like a masterful actor, slipped in and out of several roles with effortless ease. First thing's first, Lara will forever be remembered as one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era, bracketed alongside the elite company of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis.
Lara's wizardry and sheer style though would trump any batsman including the aforementioned troika. Another attribute that set him up as a cut above the rest was his voracious appetite for big, massive scores. Armed with a high backlift, generating that typical Caribbean flourish, Lara was equally efficient against spin and pace. Ask Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Wasim Akram, Glenn McGrath and the rest of their breed.
