Revolutionary Proteas administrator Ali Bacher, who played a pivotal role in bringing South Africa back to international cricket, has touted Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest batter. Bacher was in the audience for the IND vs SA 1st Test in Centurion and has called Tendulkar better than Brain Lara while also claiming that Rohit Sharma‘s team is the best-ever Indian team in their 91-year Test cricket history.
While talking with the Hindustan Times, Bacher was asked who was the best player and who he respected the most. To this, he said, “Actually, there are two.”
Calling Sachin Tendulkar a freak, Bacher explained that the cricketer from Mumbai was not only a highly skilled batter but a great human.
“One is Sachin; we still communicate. I mean, he is a freak; he’s from a different planet. I’ve seen so many of his great innings, but for me, it’s all about how he is as a person. Jeez, has he ever had an argument? I don’t think so. He’s just this greatness, this happiness, personified.”
Rubbishing the view that Lara is better than Sachin Tendulkar, Bacher said that the Indian great carried the weight of 1.4 billion people and still performed the way he did.
“You know, the Australians believe Brian Lara was better than him. I say rubbish. I say Brian Lara played before four million people. Man, this bloke had 1.4 billion people. Can you imagine the pressure of this bloke? Don’t tell me that.”