Former England captain Joe Root, one of the best batters in the world right now, has revealed why he idolises legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar.
Root, who will represent Dubai Capitals in the inaugural DP World ILT20 against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders on Friday, is impressed by Tendulkar's handling of tremendous pressure during his playing days.
"I mean obviously there are some wonderful players currently playing but look at what Sachin has achieved, it's just remarkable really, the longevity, the ability to be such a high-performing player at such a young age, and then to be able to sustain and to keep developing and moving forward in the game," Root told, speaking exclusively to the Zee Network, the official broadcasters of ILT20.
"There have been times when he's carried the weight of the pressure on his shoulders, and he did it for over 20 years. He made his debut before I was born and played in my debut, and it just shows how and what he was for Indian Cricket for such a long period," he said.
"Truly great at the game, someone that you know, along with many others. I was a kid and I was admiring the way he played, and how easy it looked, and not only has he contributed to Indian cricket but also world cricket. So yeah, definitely a standout for me as a kid growing up," he added.
Ahead of the first DP World ILT20 match between Dubai Capitals and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, ADKR skipper Sunil Narine spoke exclusively to the Zee Network about Dubai Capitals' 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup winner Joe Root.
"He is a class player who has done so much for England cricket, so we are not taking him lightly," Narine said.
Fans can watch the first DP World ILT20 match between DC and ADKKR live on Zee Network and Zee5 starting at 6:45 p.m. IST on Friday (January 13).