“I knew at that very moment that he would be a big player” - Sachin Tendulkar breaks silence on Joe Root nearing his world record

Former legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar has finally broken the silence on England talismanic batter Joe Root, nearing his world record of most Test runs. Notably, Root went past Ricky Ponting to make it to the second spot with 13543 Test runs, while Sachin Tendulkar is leading the tally with 15921 runs from 200 Tests. 

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During an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Reddit, a fan asked Sachin, “What was your first impression of Joe Root? Also, he has now crossed 13,000 Test runs and is second only to you, and he played his 1st match against you”.

Replying to the fan’s answer, Sachin stated that the first time he saw Root bat, he informed his teammates that he would go on to become the England team captain in the future. Moreover, the way he assessed the wicket and rotated the strike, Sachin thought that Root would emerge as a big player.

"To have gone past 13000 runs is a remarkable achievement, and he's still going strong. When I saw him for the first time in Nagpur in 2012 during his debut Test, I told my teammates that they were watching the future captain of England. What impressed me most was the way he was able to assess the wicket and how he rotated the strike. I knew at that very moment that he would be a big player," Sachin replied.

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Taking to his official X platform, Sachin also heaped praise on Cheteshwar Pujara, who retired from all forms of Indian cricket, adding that the 2018 series against Australia Down Under stands out for him.

"Pujara, it was always reassuring to see you walk out at No.3. You brought calm, courage, and a deep love for Test cricket every time you played. Your solid technique, patience, and composure under pressure have been a pillar for the team," Sachin wrote on X.

"Out of many, the 2018 series win in Australia stands out, it wouldn't have been possible without your incredible resilience and match-winning runs. Congratulations on a wonderful career. Good luck for the next chapter. Enjoy your second innings!" Sachin wrote.

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