Dubai: The iconic Sachin Tendulkar feels that India’s current No.1 batsman Virat Kohli’s secret of success is playing with a “straight bat” and “visualising all three formats without ever compromising on his technique”.
“Virat presents the straight bat and scores with good cricketing shots. He is a special talent and he works hard on his game. His discipline and commitment has to be emulated. He visualises different formats without ever compromising on his technique. In addition, he is very strong mentally and thrives in pressure situations,” Tendulkar said.
Tendulkar was all praise for the quality of cricket in the Indian Premier League, which he believes is on an upswing in recent times.
“The level of competition in the IPL has been steadily growing. We have had last couple of seasons, where the last match of the pool has decided the final standings and the teams for the knockout phase. It is great for the tournament as the interest level is maintained throughout,” he said.
While T20s are about entertainment where spectators want a fair share of fours and sixes, Tendulkar feels that in Test cricket, there should be something for the bowlers too.
“I believe that Test cricket has its own unique position in cricket. I also think that the format should enable bowler-friendly wickets. The other formats have largely become overtly advantageous to batsmen, so Test cricket should create this balance.” Tendulkar said he is open to the idea of day-night Test cricket which he feels can make the format attractive for audiences.
“Test cricket will continue to remain the challenge for any cricketer. It is appropriately called Test as the format tests your skill, temperament, capability and endurance. The changes being considered are to make it exciting for the audiences,” the 43-year-old said.
Alastair Cook is set to join the 10,000 Test runs club, of which Tendulkar is a member. Asked what does it take to achieve that level, Tendulkar said, “It is important to start afresh and keep preparing for the new game. You may have scored a century in the last game but that is the past. You also need to work on your weaker areas since bowlers, coaches and support staff are constantly analysing your batting. There is no substitute for hard work and discipline.”
