Australia player Marnus Labuschagne is “grateful” for the praise showered on him by the batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who sees a bit of himself in him. Tendulkar was in Australia for a charity match last week where he had referred Labuschagne as special when he was asked to name the player who reminds him of himself.
However, while responding to this compliment, Labuschagne expressed that it made him feel very special.
“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,” Marnus Labuschagne told ‘cricket.com.au’.
Sachin Tendulkar, the batting great had again added that Labuschagne stood out because of his nearly perfect footwork, which, as per the legend, is also a sign of a mentally strong player.
“His footwork is so precise. So he would be the one I would say,” said the former India player.
“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,” said Sachin Tendulkar.
Marnus Labuschagne became a star in no time when he became the Test cricket’s leading scorer last year with a whopping 1,104 runs. He came into the scene as a concussion substitute for Steve Smith during the Ashes series last August.
Since then, his graph has been going upwards only. He grabbed his chance with both hands, made four consecutive half-centuries to score a huge 353 runs at 50.42 in the Ashes series. He has also amassed 896 runs in this Test summer which included four centuries as well.
“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 added.
