Sachin Tendulkar picks one batsman who reminds him of himself and it is not Virat Kohli

Sachin Tendulkar has been passionately following the game of cricket even six years after he had bid adieu to the sport. During a function which was organized a few years ago, Tendulkar had confidently picked the current Indian skipper Virat Kohli and his deputy Rohit Sharma to break all his batting records. Now, the Master Blaster has revealed the player who reminds him of himself.

What makes this more interesting is that it is neither Kohli, Dhoni, Rohit, Shreyas Iyer or even Prithvi Shaw for that matter. In fact, he is not even an Indian player. He is none other than Australia's emerging superstar  Marnus Labuschagne. Sachin had said this during an interview ahead of the Bushfire relief game in Melbourne on Sunday.  

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Tendulkar showers praise on Labuschagne

"I happened to be watching the second Test match at Lord's between England and Australia. When Steve Smith got injured, I saw Labuschagne's second innings. I was sitting with my father-in-law. I saw Marnus get hit off the second ball from Jofra Archer and, post that, the 15 minutes he batted, I said, 'This player looks special',"  Sachin recalled. "There is something about him. His footwork was precise. Footwork is not physical, it's mental. If you're not thinking positively in your mind, then your feet don't move. His footwork was incredible'', he added.

 

Labuschagne who was roped in as the concussion replacement for Steve Smith during the second Test match at Lords' was floored by a lethal bouncer from Jofra Archer. Nonetheless, unlike Smith, nothing untoward happened to him and he was on his feet in no time. Even Sachin Tendulkar was hit on the nose on his Test debut by a lethal bouncer from Waqar Younis who was also making his international debut as well during India's tour of Pakistan in 1989. 

Even though Sachin was bleeding profusely, he showed nerves of steel and batted with determination. However, Waqar got the better of him in the end and dismissed him for just 15. 

Sachin refuses to comment on Kohli-Smith comparison

Tendulkar, however, refused to be drawn into the debate on who among Virat Kohli and Steve Smith should be considered the better.

"I don't like getting into comparisons. People have tried comparing me to a number of guys and I've said, 'Just leave us alone'," said Tendulkar."Let's not get into comparisons and let us enjoy what both those individuals are doing. They are entertaining the entire cricketing world and it's a joy for us to watch," he said.

(Image Courtesy: PTI)

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