England Women vs India Women, Only Test: Shafali Verma Can Keep Audience Engaged While Batting, Says Sachin Tendulkar

Shafali Verma's sheer talent and audacious stroke-play can keep fans engaged till she's at the crease, said the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, wishing the teenage sensation all the luck ahead of her much-anticipated Test debut against England on Wednesday. The 17-year-old Shafali, who has taken the women's cricket by storm with her towering sixes, has made Tendulkar revisit his debut as a prodigious 16-year-old when he had batted manfully against Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. "When we were in Australia to support Fund Raising Game for the Bushfires, that time, I had met Shafali and we had spoken briefly," Tendulkar told PTI on Tuesday.

"I told her that "I like the way you bat and expresses yourself while playing your shots. I told her to keep working hard," Tendulkar added.

Tendulkar is confident that Shafali will shine when she makes her Test debut in the one-off Test against England starting on Wednesday.

"Just like any other 17-year-old, you could see enthusiasm and bubbling energy. I am very happy that she's progressed and doing well for India," Tendulkar said.

"She will be one of the key members of not Indian but world cricket because he has the skill and ability to attract attention and keep audience engaged when she is batting," he concluded.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Women Shafali Verma Sachin Tendulkar England Women Cricket