PORT-OF-SPAIN: Three days after ridiculing the Indian cricket team’s performance in recent years, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting opened the floodgates of admiration for Sachin Tendulkar, rating him above Brian Lara as the best batsman among his contemporaries. Comparing the two, Ponting said Lara could be more destructive on but Tendulkar scores above the Windies skipper in technique and is the most complete batsman he has seen. “West Indian Lara and Indian Tendulkar are the two best batsmen I have played against. I have rated Sachin slightly ahead because technically I thought he was a bit tighter, but Lara on his day is probably more damaging,” Ponting wrote in his column for an Australian paper. Tendulkar had the best technique and performed well in all conditions, Ponting said. “He is the most complete batsman I have seen. His technique is so good and he has played well in all conditions. To have 41 one-day international tons shows what an appetite he has for scoring runs.” As for Lara, Ponting wrote, “Everyone can see his class, but he is also tough. When the West Indies have been down and out, he has stood up. And he has had to do it all himself a lot of the time.” While Lara mixes with the Australians, Ponting said he had rarely spoken to Tendulkar outside the cricket arena. “The Indians tend to keep to themselves and don’t hang around very long after play. It is amazing how he has to live his life because of his popularity at home. We have heard stories of him having to do his grocery shopping at 3 a.m.” http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1084941 Are u really on pakistani ganja?