Published 20:44 IST, July 29th 2020
Sachin never became ruthless: Kapil Dev reveals what he suggested Tendulkar to score more
India's world cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev reckons that Sachin Tendulkar could have scored more runs throughout his career had he been 'ruthless'
India's world cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev reckons that batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar could have scored more runs throughout his career had he been 'ruthless' during his time. Dev remarked that Tendulkar had the talent to make at least 'five triple centuries' but did not capitalize on it. Moreover, the 1983 World Cup-winner claimed that the Mumbai-lad knew how to score hundreds, but did not know how to convert those hundreds into double and triple centuries.
In a podcast with former India batsman WV Raman, Kapil Dev added that the Little Master got caught up in 'Mumbai cricket mindset' which believes that when you score a hundred, make a line and start from zero again. Dev also went on to reveal that he had suggested Sachin several times to draw inspiration from the then explosive opener and triple centurion Virender Sehwag. Dev highlighted that Tendulkar's strength was 'par excellence and incomparable' but after reaching a century, he would often take a single and get off strike.
"To Sachin, I used to say, you must watch Virender Sehwag, who, upon reaching a ton would aim for at least one boundary an over if not two. So in the next 20 overs, he was close to his double-hundred. That was the difference," Dev told WV Raman.
Sachin Tendulkar hung up his boots back in 2013 after scoring 15,921 runs in 200 Test matches at an average of 54.04 and 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs at an average of 44.83. By the end, Tendulkar had scored 100 centuries across formats and has been widely considered as the best in the business. The Mumbai-lad was also a part of the 2011 World Cup campaign which the Men in Blue won at the Wankhede.
Updated 20:44 IST, July 29th 2020