I will tell my grandchildren I played with Sachin Tendulkar, says Ross Taylor
Surviving 24 years of grueling international cricket has amazed some of the world's youngest professional cricketers. Tendulkar commands the greatest respects in New Zealand.
New Zealand star batsman Ross Taylor is all praise for Sachin Tendulkar's passion for the game and his mental toughness.
"It's Sachin's drive for success and his mental toughness that has sustained him. Nothing compares with his passion for the game and his hunger for success. He just loves to play cricket and has always enjoyed doing so. Unless you love the game as passionately as Sachin does, you cannot be around for as long as he has," says the former New Zealand captain and Pune Warriors star batsman.
"I will forever remember Sachin as one of the greatest players of the game. In fact, it is something I look forward to telling my grandchildren in the future -- that I played against one of my childhood heroes. He has been one of the greatest cricketers ever and it has been a privilege playing with him and against him. It can surely rank as one of my cherished cricketing memories," said Taylor.
New Zealand's former pacer and current bowling coach Shane Bond said Tendulkar will go down as one of the game's all-time greats.
"His most important legacy would be the amazing run he has sustained for such a long time. It is just staggering for someone to be able to do that and for this reason alone Sachin will go down in the history as one of the game's all-time greats.
"When you add to this the way he played, the number of matches he has won for India, and the fact that he has played all formats of the game with distinction and is still playing the IPL, you are left slack-jawed!," said Bond.
"I must say that Sachin has enriched world cricket immensely and has served the game well for 24 long years. And I am looking forward to enjoying what's left of this wonderful man's wonderful cricket career," he added.
(With inputs from PTI)