Published: Oct 19, 2013, 12:15 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 19, 2013, 12:15 PM (IST)
Michael Clarke treasures an autographed gloves signed by Sachin Tendulkar (left) which is occupying pride of place in his house. It was presented to him by Tendulkar after his Test debut in 2004 © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
Michael Clarke has called Sachin Tendulkar the “perfect ambassador” for the game while lavishing rich praise on the maestro.
Talking to Boria Mazumdar for an interview published in The Times of India, Clarke opined: “When a great like Sachin retires the game is poorer for it. He is surely the greatest batsman of our generation and the greatest batsman that I have seen or played against. May be he is only second to Sir Donald Bradman in history. When such a player decides to call it a day an entire legion of fans feels the pain. He is the most complete batsman that I have seen. His ability to defend is as good as his ability to attack and he is equally at ease against all kinds of bowling. More importantly, his longevity is what sets him apart in comparison to everyone else.”
Clarke said that he has learnt a lot from seeing Tendulkar play. “In many ways he played cricket the Australian way. He was aggressive, never let the bowlers dominate, was resolute and determined and had a never say die attitude,” Clarke explained.
Clarke treasures an autographed gloves signed by Tendulkar which is occupying pride of place in his house. It was presented to him by Tendulkar after his Test debut in 2004.
Clarke felt that the greatest legacy Tendulkar leaves behind are to “treat Test cricket as the pinnacle of our sport” and his “commitment” to the game. “You will never see Sachin take it easy on the cricket field. He is fiercely competitive and yet adequately relaxed. He has enjoyed his sport for 24 long years and that’s why he has been able to survive at the top for so long.”
