Simply The Best...Nasser Hussain

Simply the best

Former England captain says Sachin's the greatest

Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports News he believes Sachin Tendulkar may be even better than the great Don Bradman, after watching the Indian become the first player ever to hit a double century in a One Day International.

Tendulkar fired 25 fours and three sixes during his spell-binding 147-ball knock which helped India to an unassailable 2-0 series lead against South Africa in Gwalior.

The previous highest scores for an ODI were held jointly by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwean Charles Coventry, who both amassed 194.

However, Tendulkar has once again re-written the record books and been hailed by former England captain Hussain as the greatest of all time - a title long considered to be that of Don Bradman who averaged an incredible 99.94 in Tests.

"In my opinion Tendulkar has got to be one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest," Hussain told Sky Sports News.

"I put the telly on yesterday to watch the cricket and Sachin was again 100-odd not out. It is unbelievable. Every time I put the telly on this bloke is getting hundreds - I've lost count of how many he has got in both forms of the game.

"Then when he went on to get a double hundred I began thinking 'has there ever been a better player?'

"You shouldn't compare over eras but it is open for debate. It would have to come down between Bradman, Viv Richards - who I know a lot of people would go for - and Sachin. You can have your own choice but mine would be Tendulkar.

"He has 47 hundreds in Tests and now 46 hundreds in ODIs, his drive and his passion is so strong and there was a touch of genius about his double hundred against South Africa."

Runs against the best

One thing that puts Tendulkar above the rest, according to Hussain, is his ability to score runs against the very best bowling attacks.

"I have played county cricket and seen the likes of Graham Gooch churn out big hundreds and double hundreds in one day cricket," he said. "But to do it against South Africa, who have a pretty decent attack, is very impressive.

"He also has the admiration of the other players. If you talk to the great bowlers like Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath and ask them to name the best batsman they've played against they say Tendulkar.

"His record against the best bowlers is phenomenal. He has done it against all the top nations."

Passion

Hussain told Sky Sports News he believes Tendulkar's drive comes from his passion for scoring runs - but he suspects the Little Master is targeting victory with India on home soil in next year's World Cup as the perfect way to bow out of the game.

"I don't think he is driven by the money he earns, which is obviously a lot, but by his love of batting. He is fearful of the day he can't bat anymore: that's his motivation. He loves being in the middle.

"However, the next World Cup is going to be very important.

"There has been a lot of praise for him in the last couple of days but the one thing some Indians have argued is that he has not won the World Cup for his country.

"We have the World Cup in the sub-continent this time next year and that will be the big pivotal moment for Tendulkar. He might then say that is a good time to call it a day, as a World Cup winner in India."