Australian key batsman Marnus Labuschagne is “grateful” for all the praise earned from the batting maestro and former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who sees a bit of himself in the Australia player. Tendulkar, who was in Australia for a charity match last week, named Bushfire Cricket Bash playing for the victims of Australia due to bushfire, had said that Labuschagne is special when he was asked to name the player who most reminds him of himself.

While speaking about this, Marnus Labuschagne said it made him feel special as well.

“It was pretty amazing, it’s one that definitely when I saw it I was quick to read it and it really hit me. Amazing words from someone of that calibre. I was very grateful for his words and just stoked really,” Labuschagne told ‘cricket.com.au’.

Sachin Tendulkar had said that Labuschagne stood out for his nearly perfect footwork, which, as per Tendulkar, is also a sign of a mentally strong player too.

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“His footwork is so precise. So he would be the one I would say,” said the former India captain. “I happened to be watching the second Test match (Ashes) at Lord’s between England and Australia. When Steve Smith got injured, I saw Labuschagne’s second innings.”

Marnus Labuschagne has come in the limelight when he became Test cricket’s highest scorer last year with 1,104 runs. He came in the circuit as a concussion substitute for Steve Smith during the Ashes last August and since then he didn’t stop. He utilised his chance with both hands, he scored four consecutive half-centuries to notch up with 353 runs at 50.42 in the Ashes series. He scored 896 runs in this Test summer, including four centuries.

“I was sitting with my father-in-law. I saw Marnus get hit off the second ball from Jofra Archer and, post that, the 15 minutes he batted, I said, This player looks special’. There is something about him,” he concluded.