Brian Charles Lara
Lara's career in pictures
Brian Lara' s 277 against Australia in Sydney 1993, his maiden Test century,was the fourth highest maiden Test century by any batsman, the highest individual score in all Tests between the two teams and the fourth-highest century ever recorded against Australia by any Test batsman•Getty Images
And later, Lara relaxes in the changing room after breaking the world record•Getty Images
Lara sweeps during his hundred against South Africa in the 1996 Wills World Cup quarter-finals at Karachi. Lara single-handedly knocked South Africa out of the tournament•Getty Images
Lara pulls Andy Caddick during the NatWest Series in the summer of 2000•Paul McGregor/ESPNcricinfo Ltd
In the 2002 Champions Trophy, Lara's last contribution before hepatitis struck was a 15th one-day hundred which revived the innings against Kenya•Paul McGregor/ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Lara holds aloft the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004, the biggest ODI tournament West Indies achieved under his captaincy•Getty Images
Lara bids farewell to the fans at Adelaide for the final time•Getty Images
Lara tears Danish Kaneria apart during a masterful 216, which comprised a 77-ball century in the opening session, against Pakistan at Multan•AFP
Lara scored a fluent 37 in the opening match against Pakistan, which West Indies won by 54 runs. Unfortunately, West Indies campaign slipped dramatically, and they failed to reach the semi-finals•AFP
Lara celebrates breaking Garfield Sobers' record individual score of 365 in Tests, againt England on April 18, 1994, at St John's, Antigua •Getty Images
Lara pulls on his way to 501 Warwickshire against Durham in 1994•Getty Images
Lara smashes one through the covers on his way to scoring 213 against Australia in 1999. Many say this innings, and his unbeaten 153 in the following Test, were his finest•Getty Images
Lara tucks into the South African bowling attack during the best-of-seven ODI series at home in 2001•Rian Botes/ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Lara acknowledges the applause after completing a classy hundred against the hosts at Newlands, Cape Town to get West Indies' 2003 World Cup off to a great start•Reuters
Lara celebrates his 28th Test century, against South Africa in Barbados on April 21, 2005•Getty Images
Lara and the West Indian team applaud the crowd for their support after a 4-1 ODI series victory over India in the summer of 2006•AFP
West Indies clawed back with a wicket burst against India at Chennai on January 27, 2007 and Lara is delighted•AFP
In his second-last ODI innings, Lara made a quickfire 33 in a 99-run win over Bangladesh at Barbados•AFP
Lara, arms aloft, celebrates his incredible 501. Lara amassed his world record in 474 minutes off only 427 balls, hitting 308 in boundaries (10 sixes and 62 fours)•Getty Images
Yet another special innings from Lara, his innings of 153* taking his team to victory over Australia•Getty Images
Lara was immense in the 2001-02 series in Sri Lanka, scoring an astonishing 42% of West Indies' runs•Sena Vidanaguma/AFP
Almost ten years to the day, Lara breaks the record. Again.
His magnificent 400 helped avoid a whitewash by England, whose bowlers had dominated the series•AFP
Lara celebrates after breaking Allan Border's record of 11,174 Test runs in Adelaide on November 26, 2005•Getty Images
In a brief but special visual treat, Lara added 72 for the first wicket with Sachin Tendulkar in an International XI v Pakistan game at The Oval in the July 2006•Getty Images
Lara looks on during the opening ceremony photoshoot of the 2007 World Cup, the first time the West Indies hosted the tournament•Getty Images