Sachin Tendulkar's career longevity and his remarkable achievements make him a class apart, according to the legendary Sir Vivian Richards who reckons that the Indian maestro has set benchmarks that no other contemporary cricketer can come anywhere close to.Richards said Tendulkar has survived for so long in international cricket because of his "amazing dedication" and it was only a matter of time when he scripts history by becoming the first cricketer to score 50 Test centuries.
"He can certainly achieve that (scoring 50 Test centuries). I think the way the games are going at present, it would be very difficult for anyone to break that record. He is way ahead of others," Richards said in an interview here today.
Richards, one of the most destructive batsman of his era, said only Australian captain Ricky Ponting had a slim chance of coming anywhere near Tendulkar's records among contemporary cricketers.
"I can't see any individual, the closest guy who would come to that may be Ricky (Ponting). But the way things are going on in Australia, they are calling for his head, so I don't know really know how long he will be around. He is the only individual I think who could be close to Sachin's record. But I think it would be hard to surpass," he said.
The West Indian batting great attributed Tendulkar's longevity to the way he has conducted himself right through his career and his discipline among other things.
"Tendulkar is 37, still going great. It's all about how you have conducted yourself. I guess there were times when it looked pretty doubtful with injuries, starting with the back, would have most certainly affected his career but it's due to persistence, dedication, discipline and confidence that you survive for so long," he explained.