Youngsters should be aware of Windies legacy - Lara

Brian Lara believes that the youngsters in West Indian cricket need to be made aware of their rich cricketing legacy if the team is to regain its lost pride. Talking about the 2007 World Cup, Lara said the event was important to "ensure we will have players for the future" and added that the current crop of talent should be handled with patience.

"You have to realise that we have a bunch of young guys who are learning to play at the international level, which is never the best thing," he told The Hindu while in Chennai. "We'll have to be patient and see this period through."

Lara, Test cricket's highest run-getter, spoke passionately about restoring pride in a side having a rich cricketing past. "Anybody who has been part of the success we had in the past should pass it along because we've got a young team, some of who have played 10-11 Tests without a win," he said. "That's my motivation so late in my career, to try and get West Indies to the top, well if not quite the top, to make us a very competitive team." He added that it was imperative that youngsters in the West Indian ranks should be made aware of the feats of "some of the greatest cricketers -- George Headley, the three Ws [Worrell, Weekes, Walcott], Sir Garry [Sobers], Viv Richards".

Lara also admitted that scoring runs in losing causes was very difficult. "There was this press conference at Adelaide after I went past Border's record [for most runs in Tests] and scored a double-hundred and I was asked how it felt to make a double-hundred and end up losing for the third time. To be asked something like that with the match still not over was a significant indicator of where our cricket is," he said. "Lengthening my career is not something in my hands, it's up to the selectors. But, I'd like to continue till I'm an asset, the moment I become a liability, I'll give it up. As long as I feel I'm mentally and physically ready, I will go along."

Lara also backed Sachin Tendulkar - his "best friend in the Indian team" and "most favourite batsman in the world" - to overcome his current slump and shoulder injury. "Form is temporary, class is permanent. He is my favourite batsman in the world, as I'm sure he is of many others," he said. "He's a class act and he'll come through."