Sachin Tendulkar's Early Recognition of Virat Kohli's Greatness Revealed
In a fascinating revelation that bridges two eras of Indian cricket, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has shared intimate conversations with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, disclosing that the Master Blaster had long believed a young Virat Kohli possessed the unique ability to one day challenge and surpass his monumental batting records.
The Unwavering Decision to Retire
Shukla, who closely witnessed the careers of both Tendulkar and Kohli during his tenure as a BCCI administrator, recounted the period leading up to Sachin's retirement in 2013. He revealed attempting to persuade the batting icon to continue for another year or two, hoping he would complete a remarkable 25 years in international cricket. However, Tendulkar remained steadfast in his decision.
"What he has done as a cricketer is very difficult. There are no comparisons. And if he wanted, he could have played for another year or two," Shukla stated. "I told him to at least complete 25 years and play for another year. He said, 'No. Raju bhai, I feel that I should leave now.' He was very honest. 'The day I feel that I cannot give 100 per cent to the game, I will give it up. I will walk away.' That is what he did."
Shukla elaborated that Tendulkar personally informed him about his retirement plans and refused to reconsider despite repeated appeals. "He called me up and said that he was going to announce his retirement. I told him not to do it and to wait for a year. He said, 'No, I think I will quit,' and he gave it up."
A Fitting Farewell and Towering Legacy
Tendulkar concluded his illustrious career during the home series against West Indies, playing his final Test at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium in November 2013. In his last innings, he scored 74 runs, bowing out as the undisputed leading run-scorer in international cricket history.
His extraordinary career statistics include:
- 34,357 runs across 664 international matches
- 100 centuries and 164 fifties
- A historic World Cup triumph in 2011 on home soil
The Prophetic Lunch Conversation
When questioned about whether anyone could ever replace Tendulkar, Shukla recalled a particularly insightful lunch conversation where the legend was asked who might eventually break his seemingly insurmountable records. "Records are made to be broken," Tendulkar famously replied, before specifically naming Virat Kohli as the cricketer capable of achieving this monumental task.
Kohli's Record-Breaking Journey
This belief has largely materialized over the years. Kohli has systematically broken several of Tendulkar's records, particularly in white-ball cricket, establishing himself as one of the game's modern greats.
His remarkable achievements include:
- Owning the record for most ODI centuries with 54, surpassing Tendulkar's 51
- Producing the most prolific World Cup campaign by any batter in 2023 with 765 runs
- Accumulating nearly 19,000 runs and 55 centuries across ODIs and T20Is
- Winning major ICC titles and numerous individual awards
While Kohli's Test career concluded with 9,230 runs in 123 matches, falling short of some expectations, his absolute dominance in limited-overs cricket has distinctly set him apart. He has firmly established himself as one of the greatest limited-overs batters the sport has ever witnessed, effectively fulfilling a prophecy that Sachin Tendulkar quietly made years ago during that fateful lunch conversation.
This revelation from Rajeev Shukla not only highlights Tendulkar's remarkable foresight but also underscores the seamless transition of batting excellence in Indian cricket, where one legend recognized and nurtured the potential of another, creating a continuum of greatness that continues to inspire millions of cricket enthusiasts worldwide.
