'I don't want anyone to call me Sachin Tendulkar of Pakistan' - Abid Ali

One of the first things that makes any young kid get hooked to the game- any game, not just cricket- is when they watch the superstars of the game, say like a Sachin Tendulkar or a Roger Federer or a Cristiano Ronaldo, unleash magic on the field. And, when they do decide to take up the sport, the very first thing they do is emulate their hero’s technique, their stroke-play or in case of a bowler- the action.

Pakistan opener Abid Ali remains a prime example of the aforementioned fact. Ali revealed that Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s remains his biggest inspiration and it is on the Little champions style-of-play that he tries to emulate in his batting.

“Obviously there are other great batsmen as well that I admire but I have tried to adapt my game to the way Tendulkar played,” Abid told the media in Lahore as quoted by CricketNext.

“From the beginning of my career, I have been watching videos of Sachin’s batting. I have also seen the batting footage of Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh. But my height is like Sachin Tendulkar. So I follow him more,” he added.

Ali revealed that he is trying to instil all the good habits of Sachin, but the opener doesn’t anyone to call-him in ‘Sachin of Pakistan’. “I am copying all the good practices of Sachin. I always try to master his technique. But I do not want anyone to call me Sachin of Pakistan,” revealed Ali.

Abid Ali eyeing another record in the upcoming Test against Bangladesh

Ali made a whirlwind start to his career when he became the first batsmen in the history of the game to notch up hundreds on Test and ODI debut (both against Sri Lanka. But the opener knows he has another record in his sight.

If Ali scored a hundred during the first Test against Bangladesh, he will equal former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin‘s record of scoring centuries in the first three Test matches, which he achieved against England in 1984-85.

“When we play Bangladesh in the Test next month in Rawalpindi, I will have that in mind. But I can only try to give my best and play positively. Scoring a third century is very important for me as well but I can only give it my best effort.”

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