Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has inspired several cricketers, including Team India captain Rohit Sharma. And, In the recent turn of events, Rohit Sharma recalled his first close encounter with the veteran batter. Rohit has recalled the very first time when he saw Tendulkar closely. He said that Tendulkar paid a visit to the Cricket Club of India (CCI), where Rohit used to train, during Australia’s 2004/05 tour of India as well. He shared that Tendulkar spent some time watching him bat, which made him nervous. He further said that after that, they played together in the Ranji Trophy final in 2006, and he continued to learn by witnessing the legend as well.

“Paaji (Tendulkar) had come to the CCI and was standing behind our nets and was watching me train. I have to confess I was nervous. It was natural I would be. You just wanted to impress him. To get recognition in his eyes was the ultimate yardstick. Thereafter we played the 2006 Ranji Trophy final together, which Mumbai won, and I kept learning from seeing Paaji up close,” Rohit Sharma said in the book Sachin@50.

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He also added that Sachin Tendulkar was outstanding during the two finals, where he understood the bowlers extremely well. He also shared that Sachin Tendulkar had come up to him and told him what to anticipate, which helped him a lot as well. He also added that Tendulkar’s judgment helped him to make a crucial contribution in the game as well.

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“The third final was not required, and Paaji was brilliant in the two finals. He was reading the bowlers exceptionally well and could understand what they were about to bowl to me. In fact, he would come up and tell me what to expect, and it was of great help. I could trust his judgment while batting, which helped me make an important contribution to the team,” Rohit Sharma concluded.