Former captain of the Australian cricket team Ricky Ponting said that India’s Sachin Tendulkar is the second best batsman ever to have played the game behind the legendary Sir Donald Bradman. Ponting believes only Bradman can be ranked higher than Tendulkar.

"For me, he's the greatest batsman after Don Bradman. While I hold Brian Lara in high regard because of his match-winning ability, I don't think any batsman can achieve more out of the game than Sachin has," Ponting was quoted saying by Cricket Australia website.

"The word great is often bandied about, but great is something that's achieved over a long period of time. Sachin played 200 Tests and 463 ODIs (and one Twenty20 International), scored 34,357 runs and 100 international hundreds — that is great.

"Younger players may reach No.1 over a period of 12 or 18 months — that's not great. That's having a good year. If you can do it as long as Sachin did, only then you be considered great."

Ponting said he learned to admire Tendulkar's game when they were foes at international level and he was continually amazed every time he played against him.

Ponting and Tendulkar's relationship has developed further in recent years, with the duo still involved at the Mumbai Indians after they played together at the IPL franchise earlier this decade.

"Over the last couple of years — during my association with the Mumbai Indians — I've got to know him better," Ponting added.

"It was a delight to get to know him away from the publicity's glare and over a glass of wine — Sachin and I have done a lot of that over the last couple of years, and I think we've both been able to appreciate each other a lot more as a result."

source: cricket.com.au