New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has heaped praise on batting icon Sachin Tendulkar’s often-overlooked excellence as a fielder, explaining how the Master Blaster’s discipline, consistency and commitment during training made him one of the safest hands in world cricket.
Recalling Tendulkar’s habits on the practice ground and his reliability across a 24-year international career, Kaif highlighted the qualities that set him apart from his contemporaries.
While Tendulkar’s batting feats continue to define his legacy, Kaif believes his contribution in the field deserves equal appreciation. According to the former India fielder, Tendulkar’s impact came not only from spectacular moments but also from the relentless standards he maintained every day.
“Sachin paaji was a formidable fielder. We often remember diving catches, like Jonty Rhodes’ famous dive, but the amount of ground Sachin paaji covered just by running was outstanding. The man had a proper routine. There wasn’t a single net session where he didn’t practise fielding,” Kaif said on JioStar.
Kaif said Tendulkar’s dedication to improving his fielding never diminished despite his stature in the game, adding that his consistency over more than two decades reflected the effort he invested away from the spotlight.
“He played for India for 24 years, and do you remember him dropping catches? There may have been one or two on rare occasions, but otherwise he was an exceptionally safe fielder, whether in the slips or at cover, and he had a rocket arm. People talk about Jadeja’s throwing arm, but Sachin paaji’s was even more powerful,” he added.
Tendulkar grabbed 115 catches in ODIs and 140 catches in Test matches and was a safe, reliable fielder with a strong arm for long-distance throws, despite famously stating that batting was his passion while fielding felt like torture.
–IANS
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