Sachin Tendulkar paid Marnus Labuschagne a huge compliment on Friday when he said that the Australian’s batting is similar to his own.
Tendulkar is in Sydney for a charity match for the Australian bushfire relief which will be played on Sunday. Speaking to reporters after a visit to the Sydney Cricket Ground, the batting great said that he was mighty impressed by Labuschagne.
“His footwork is so precise. So he would be the one I would say,” said the former India captain when asked which modern day batsman reminded him of himself.
“I happened to be watching the second Test match (Ashes) at Lord’s between England and Australia. When Steve Smith got injured, I saw Labuschagne’s second innings,” said Tendulkar. “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’. There is something about him.
“Footwork is not physical, it’s mental. If you’re not thinking positively in your mind, then your feet don’t move. That clearly indicated to me that this guy is mentally strong because if you’re not, your feet will not move. His footwork was incredible.”
Labuschagne has had a phenomenal rise in international cricket over the past year. The 25-year-old right-hander has scored 1459 runs in 14 Tests at an average of 63.43. This incredible run has seen him climb to No 3 in the ICC Test rankings for batsmen.
Tendulkar had himself received a massive compliment during his career when Don Bradman, arguably the greatest batsman of all time, had said that the Master Blaster’s game was similar to his.
Asked about who he would pick first between Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, the two finest batsmen of this generation, Tendulkar said that he would go with his compatriot. “Let an Indian pick an Indian guy,” he said with a smile.
“I’ll leave Smith to be in the other side. Virat has been my friend. They’re entertaining the entire cricketing world and it’s a joy to watch both. Smith is a special player. He’s proven that on a consistent basis. His mindset - he’s so organised. The technique is not something you see commonly, it’s different, but he knows how to adjust.”
