UNI

Sydney, Mar 13: Australia captain Ricky Ponting paid Sachin Tendulkar the ultimate compliment ahead of the World Cup in the Caribbean, saying that the Indian maestro was the most complete batsman of his generation.

Ponting's comments were made in his newspaper column for 'The Australian', in which he compared the exploits of Tendulkar, West Indies captain Brian Lara and Sri Lanka's explosive batsman Sanath Jayasuriya.

Though admitting that Lara could prove to be the greatest danger at the mega event in the Caribbean, he said it was Tendulkar -- the world's highest one-day international run-scorer -- who would edge out the rest because of his ''complete technique.''

''I have rated Sachin slightly ahead because technically I thought he was a bit tighter, but Lara on his day is probably more damaging,'' said Ponting, who could become in the Caribbean the only second captain after Clive Lloyd to lift the coveted World Cup trophy twice.

''Everyone can see his (Lara's) 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.

''Jayasuriya has won Sri Lanka plenty of games with his dynamic batting, while his bowling has also been important in his team's plans.

''He has been hard to plan for because he hits the ball in odd areas.

''But Tendulkar has the best technique and has performed well in all conditions.

''He is the most complete batsman I have seen,'' Ponting said.

''To have 41 one-day international tons shows what an appetite he has for scoring runs.''