Sachin Tendulkar reacts to video of Gavaskar's astonishing prediction from 1996 interview
A video of the great Sunil Gavaskar predicting Sachin Tendulkar's rise to superstardom has surfaced online, and the Master Blaster himself has reacted to it.
The video was posted by Twitter user subu sastry (@suubsy) and features an interview from 1996 between the two legends of Indian cricket. In the video, Sunny G sets lofty expectations for Sachin Tendulkar, who was just 7 years into international cricket at the time.
"If by the end of his career, he does not score a minimum of 15000 runs and 40 Test centuries, I shall personally go and strangle him. 20 years down the line, my hands would not have the same strength and he might still survive, but I think I will get somebody to do that for me. He has got that much talent!" Gavaskar says.
Sachin Tendulkar, just 22 years old at the time, replies with: "I'll try my best".
Sachin Tendulkar reacts to the incredible video
Sachin Tendulkar reacted to the 24-year-old video and expressed his delight at the fact that he managed to live up to his idol's astonishing prediction. He also made it a point to thank the Twitter user who uploaded the video, in his typical classy fashion.
In reality, Sachin Tendulkar not only lived up to the prediction but surpassed it. With 15,921 runs and 51 centuries to his name in Test cricket, Tendulkar retired as undoubtedly the greatest Test batsman of all time.
His achievements are put into perspective when you realise that Ricky Ponting, second on the list of all-time Test run-getters, is more than a whopping 2,500 runs behind the former Mumbai Indians skipper. Sachin Tendulkar also racked up 6 more Test tons than Jacques Kallis, who is second on the list with 45.
Sunil Gavaskar himself is the 12th highest run-scorer in Test cricket with 10,122 runs and was also the first batsman to scale 'Mount 10,000' in the longest format of the game. Given the undisputed legendary status of both cricketers in the video, the short clip holds great significance not only to Indians but cricket fans across the globe.