ISLAMABAD, April 21: Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar didn't impress Waqar Younis when the two made their Test debut at Karachi 15 years ago but the former Pakistani captain now believes the Indian is a genius.

"Tendulkar is still on the rise and will figure way, way up there among the all-time greats," Waqar said in an interview. Asked to list the five batsmen whom he found most difficult to bowl to, Waqar who took 373 Test wickets and 416 one-day scalps, named Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, and stopped there.

Waqar was most reluctant to judge who was the better batsman between Tendulkar and Lara saying that it was a very difficult question. "A few years ago I said Lara because when he is on song he is very difficult (to bowl to). He is probably more talented, more fluent but Sachin is in a different class altogether. He is a very mature batsman. Probably Lara did not mature enough.

"I should not be comparing them. They are both world class players," he says, pointing out though that there was extra pressure on Tendulkar because he played for India and "he has matured so well".

How much has Tendulkar's game changed over the years? Waqar responds, "he has just gone a little compact. He has started playing like a very mature batsman now. Earlier he used to slash and run down the track.

With the passage of time he has understood what Test cricket is and that he has to stay at the crease. Now you do not see him play any flashy shots. "He hardly played a bad shot in the 194 he made in the Multan Test. Everything was just perfect. Sehwag got over 300 and was all over the park. That is a different class. Sachin played a very, very top innings," said Waqar. -APP