Sachin Tendulkar Showed Less Emotions, Virat Kohli Is Aggressive On The Field: Venkatesh Prasad

Venkatesh Prasad said while it would be unfair to label either batsman as someone to be afraid of while commenting on comparing Indian batting greats Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Both had rather contrasting demeanors which resonated throughout their careers.

Former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad has weighed in on the comparison between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, two of the best batsmen produced by India in their respective eras.

Venkatesh Prasad: Sachin Tendulkar Was Soft While Virat Kohli Is Aggressive On The Field

Venkatesh Prasad said while it would be unfair to label either batsman as someone to be afraid of, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli had rather contrasting demeanors which resonated throughout their careers.

“They are both brilliant individuals honestly speaking. On one side, Sachin was very soft, and of course, Virat comes out aggressive, but it’s not his nature. It’s just on the field because he wants to win and perform in every single game,” Prasad said on The Grade Cricketer Podcast.

“So did Sachin. He wanted to do well in every single game. You don’t really see many emotion from Sachin. We never say any, whether he scored a hundred or got out for a duck… whatever. Even when he gets hit, we don’t see much emotion, whereas Virat is someone who likes to express himself.”

Sachin Tendulkar is the only batsman in world cricket to hit 100 centuries. Recently, he recovered from COVID-19 and is spending time with his family. In the 2011 World Cup Victory, he became the highest run-scorer with 482 runs at an average of 53.55 in the tournament and he could not stop his tears after this victory.

Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman in history to cross the 34,000 run aggregate in all formats of Cricket on 5th December 2012. In international cricket, he played a total of 657 matches. On 16th March 2012, his much-awaited 100th-century milestone was achieved against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup. Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement on 23rd December 2012 from ODI Cricket.

His 24 year-long marvellous cricket career came to an end on 16 November 2013 when he announced his retirement. In December 2012, he played his last ODI match, and in 2013, the last T20I match. His 200th Test match against West Indies on 16th November 2013 was his adieu to the cricketing world as a player.

Venkatesh Prasad Recalled An Incident When Sachin Tendulkar Was Hit By A Wasim Akram Delivery, Was Unnerved, Showed No Reaction And Hit Next Ball For 6

Venkatesh Prasad, who played alongside and under Sachin Tendulkar in the 1990s and early 2000s shared an instance when the former India batsman would remain calm even after getting rattled by a Wasim Akram.

Looking back at one of the most famous India-Pakistan encounters, Venkatesh Prasad recalled when Sachin Tendulkar was floored by the Pakistan pacer swing great Wasim Akram bouncer, but came up with the best possible reply as if nothing had happened.

“One incident I would like to narrate here. Sachin once got hit in Sharjah with the new ball and Wasim Akram was bowling. He gets hit on his helmet. It was a quick ball, probably bowled at 145ish. So, he didn’t expect it, and by the time he reacted, he got hit on his helmet. And he just walks towards the leg umpire and shakes his head. Nothing, he doesn’t do anything. He doesn’t even remove the helmet, just holds his visor and gets the helmet in place,” Prasad narrated.

“He comes back and takes the strike and the second ball… it’s a new ball and Sachin is opening. The second ball again, Wasim bowls a bouncer. Same typical pace, same length and it’s coming at the height of his head. Perfectly targeted but Sachin hits it for a six. Again, no reaction from Sachin.”

Venkatesh Prasad then imagined how Virat Kohli would have reacted to the same scenario playing the game today, and it couldn’t be further from how Sachin Tendulkar tackled his situations.

“Probably Virat, if he had got the same thing, after scoring a six, he would pump his fist or stare stared at the bowler. They are two different people, two different characters and both are extremely important for the game to really flourish,” Prasad explained.

On the other hand, the pacer said, Virat Kohli, the current Indian captain who is chasing Sachin Tendulkar’s batting records, is much more expressive in nature, and makes everyone privy to his mood; nonetheless, both the batting masters played the game to win it for their team.