India, July 17 -- Brian Lara's journey in West Indies cricket began with a rather unexpected welcome, or the lack of it: not by an opponent, but by a legend from his own dressing room. Recalling the early days of his Test career on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Lara opened up about his unforgettable first encounter with Sir Vivian Richards.

However, the moment was not what most young cricketers dream of.

"I got an opportunity to play with him (Richards). My first Test match was in Trinidad and I got the letter from the board: 'You're on the team. Report 9 AM tomorrow morning for practice,'" Lara said.

"And I got there at 8 AM, start a little practice in the Queen's Park Oval with my brother and then the team arrived. And this is all my...