The Indian cricket landscape is bursting at the seams with young talent and batting great Brian Lara feels the country's senior men's side can field not two but "even a third XI" at the moment.
Lara, one of the game's greatest batters, said this during an interaction with Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan, the dominant players in the 200-run drubbing of the West Indies in the series-deciding third ODI.
"Well, India is like a second home to me. Looking at the young promising cricketers in India, it is something that I've grown up doing...
"...And just to see the talent here with this Indian team and so many different teams that they have at the moment, they can pick a second XI and even a third XI. 'Just to see these guys on this international stage here at the academy, I feel very, very proud," Lara said during the chat, the video of which has been posted by the BCCI on its website.
India won the third ODI sans stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Lara asked Kishan for his advice to young cricketers in the West Indies, a team in perennial decline.
Kishan said when young players in the West Indies have someone like Lara, they don't need to look elsewhere for help.
"I think hunger is the most important thing when it comes to this game. You want to perform well for the team, for yourself, for your family, especially having so many great players here in West Indies they can always interact with them, like you guys," said Kishan.
"They can come to you (Lara) and talk about it at this beautiful academy, they will get to learn a lot with your experience and everything, so these are little things that will help youngsters." When it was Gill's turn to talk, he said Lara's flamboyant batting inspired him a lot.
"All my memories of him is smashing the bowlers and taking on the bowlers whenever I used to see him, especially in red ball.
"You used to be one of those people who used to go and straightaway, from ball one, you would take on the bowlers and take on the challenge, and that really inspired us as a kid, to be able to... how to dominate the game in all formats," Gill said.
Lara said he was "so happy" to have these two young men "at the stadium, or the academy in my name".
During the interaction, Kishan also said that he had once received a message from Lara on Instagram, which left him "shocked" as he was not expecting something like that from a player of his stature.
"I think for me the most important thing is like the stories I have heard, like you always used to bat till lunch and if you are there on the pitch you go to practice and then again come to bat. So that is something to learn from you.
"And also I was very excited when once you texted me on Instagram and I was actually in shock, like how come you texted me. Such a legend of this game texted me and I was really very happy about it.
"So performing here, where your name is there on the board, it was really special for me to perform here, and I love to watch highlights of your innings, how you used to do that (high backlift) and play shots," Kishan said.
Gill was also asked about the facility at the stadium.
"I think it's a great facility, fantastic ground, I have played here actually in 2019 as well and scored a double hundred. So this ground has been good to me." The two players said they are looking forward to "have dinner" at Lara's place.
