 Sachin made me feel comfortable at crease: Rohit Sharma
7th Mar 2008 23:01 IST
Agencies
Middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma today credited his excellent performance in Australia to Sachin Tendulkar, saying the master batsman made him feel at home during the first final of the Tri-Series in Sydney.
"As soon as I came to the crease he (Tendulkar) made me feel very comfortable and gave me some advice. He told me that we had to win the match. I felt no pressure at all. I thought I was batting in the nets," the 20-year-old Mumbai batsman said in Mumbai.
The youngster, who played a vital knock of 66 in the first final, said it was his childhood dream to play with the maestro whom he has idolised since he started playing.
"I was just two when Sachin (Tendulkar) made his Test debut. I never thought that I would play with him and bat with him for so long. I used to always watch him since I started playing cricket. I grew up watching his batting," he said.
Sharma, however, said even though he has grown up watching and idolising Tendulkar, he would not try and copy the style of the batting genius.
"No one in the world can copy anyone. Everyone in the world has his own style. No one bats like Sachin and he (Sachin) doesn't bat like (Ricky) Ponting. I personally don't feel I need to copy someone," Sharma said.
He added that he did not allow the pressure of playing a crucial game affect his nerves.
"I never thought that I was playing in the finals and that wasn't on my mind. I don't think anything else (while I am batting) and that's when I do well," he said.
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