Steve Smith names Sachin Tendulkar as the best batter he ever played against

Arguably the greatest batsman to have ever stepped onto the cricket field, Sachin Tendulkar tormented numerous bowling line-ups in his astonishing career. Time changed, playing conditions were revised and even a new format came into the picture. However, Sachin rose to every challenge and piled up runs consistently. From Glenn McGrath, Shoaib Akhtar to James Anderson and Muttiah Muralitharan, the Master Blaster gave tough time to many potent bowlers.

In fact, Tendulkar, whose international career spanned over 23 years, didn’t really loose his sheen even at the fag end of his career. Veteran Australian batsman Steve Smith is certainly of a similar opinion. On Sunday, the right-handed batsman held a Q/A session on Instagram to interact with his fans. From revealing his favourite food item to sharing his IPL experience, Smith opened up about many things.

On being asked about the best batter he ever played against, Smith tagged none other than Sachin Tendulkar. It has to be noted that Smith made his international debut in 2010, just three years before the Master Blaster’s retirement. This shows that the former Indian opener was a force to reckon with even in the twilight of his playing days.

Steve Smith picks Sachin Tendulkar over Virat Kohli & AB de Villiers

Moreover, Smith has played against the likes of Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and AB de Villiers at their prime. However, he went with Sachin as the best batter he played against. Notably, Smith, who’s a part-time leg-spinner, has dismissed Tendulkar once in international cricket.

It was a 2013 Test match in Mohali where the leggie trapped Tendulkar in front and the legendary cricketer had to walk back after scoring 37 runs. India, however, went onto win that contest by six wickets. It was the same year when Tendulkar bid adieu to international cricket. However, many of his records are still standing strong.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen when Smith will make a comeback on the field. The batsman’s elbow injury has forced him to miss the white-ball series against West Indies and Bangladesh. His participation in the ICC T20 World Cup is also under dark clouds. Hence, Australian fans would be praying for Smith’s speedy recovery with several important fixtures coming up.