‘Best part about Indian cricket right now is there is bench strength’: Sachin Tendulkar

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday said that the departure of skipper Virat Kohli will leave a “void” for India in their Test tour of Australia, reported AFP. He added that this will be a golden opportunity for a younger player. 

Kohli will only lead the side in the first Test, which will be played in Adelaide on December 17, before returning home for the birth of his first child.

Some veterans have called for Kohli, India’s skipper in all three formats, to hand over some of his captaincy duties permanently.

Tendulkar has however, not joined that debate and said India’s “bench strength” would help as they bid to win a second straight Test series win in Australia.

He told AFP, “When you lose an experienced player like this (Kohli) there is without any doubt a void. But let’s understand, this is not about individuals. It is about our team and the best part about Indian cricket right now is there is bench strength.”

He added, “So Virat has to come back for personal reasons and some youngster is going to get a chance to play in his spot and that’s an opportunity for someone else.”

Also read: David Warner ruled out of first Test against India: ICC

While Australia beat India 2-1 in the ODI series, the visitors emerged winners in the T20I series with the same margin. 

India had enjoyed a historic first Test series win in Australia on their last tour in 2018-19. Australia are just ahead of India in the world Test rankings and the Adelaide game will be India’s first day-night five-dayer on foreign soil.

According to Tendulkar,  the current Australian side is a lot “stronger” with leading batsmen David Warner and Steve Smith back from the ball-tampering suspensions that kept them out two years ago.

He said, “From the last time that Australia played India they have got three important players. They have got Warner who is back in the team, Smith and (Marnus) Labuschagne. This is a far better squad compared to the earlier one. When a couple of your senior members are not there, suddenly that void is felt and that is what Australia felt.”

However, he insists  that India’s bowling attack led by the fiery Jasprit Bumrah and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is also stronger and can challenge Australia.

He said, “Every era should be kept separate, I don’t like comparing. But I can say that it (India) is a complete bowling attack. So it doesn’t matter what kind of surface you are playing on, you have got all sides covered.”

He added, “You have got bowlers who can swing the ball. When it comes to variations and awkwardness, that is also there. Someone hitting the deck hard is also there. We have got a wrist spinner, we have got finger spinners.”