IND vs SA: Virat Kohli Has Made This Team India, Not Rohit Sharma Claims Ali Bacher

Former South Africa Captain, Batsman, and one of Cricket South Africa’s Presidents in the past, Ali Bacher during a recent interview with the Hindustan Times claimed that Sachin Tendulkar doesn’t belong to planet Earth, believing he might have come from a different before calling him a freak and he also mentioned Tendulkar’s 2011 World Cup winning teammate Virat Kohli, the best batter in the world today.

Ali Bacher before shedding light on the current Indian team, admitted that Sachin Tendulkar is one of the 2 former cricketers he respects the most with Steve Waugh being the other one. Bacher said that it is the behavior of Sachin that makes him great and not his on-field exploits.

“Sachin, we still communicate. I mean, he is a freak, he’s from a different planet. I’ve seen so many of his great innings but for me, it’s all about how he is as a person. Jeez, has he ever had an argument? I don’t think so. He’s just this greatness, this happiness, personified.” – Bacher said.

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As we all know, Ali Bacher has played a massive role in the rise of South African cricket over the last 4 decades. He not only had a successful stint as the Captain of his national side but also ensured the game’s growth in the country as the administrator of the Proteas cricket board.

He has also served as the Chairman of the development committee of the International Cricket Council with many crediting him for sparking an unseen revolution of commercialization in cricket broadcasting. During his time with the ICC, Ali Bacher has worked extensively in developing the state of cricket and has always remained a firm believer in helping smaller nations and cricket boards break through limitations.

The 81-year-old is a very opinionated personality who had recently called out the Big 3 Cricket Boards – Board of Control for Cricket in India, English Cricket Board and Cricket Australia for influencing the decisions of ICC and using money in their favor, which is hindering the actual growth of Cricket.

Ali Bacher also feels that this Triopoly of BCCI, ECB and CA has led to the marginalization of Cricket in Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa. He also advocated the fact that BCCI, accounting for 70% of World Cricket’s revenue, is not channelizing the money into the right direction and also admitted that USA, the latest entrant in World Cricket is not going to see any major transformation that the likes of Afghanistan and Nepal went through.

Ali Bacher Hails Steve Waugh’s Mental Toughness And Sees An Australian In Virat Kohli

In the same interview, Ali Bacher revisited a few instances of Steve Waugh, highlighting his mental toughness during the Australian’s playing days. “The next one I respect enormously is Steve Waugh. God guts, determination.”

“He was tough mentally, Steve. He used to be a good puller and hooker before giving it up. I saw Allan Donald bowl to him once in Sydney, it’s the quickest I’ve ever seen Allan bowl. Steve was ducking and ducking and weaving but he had guts, he made a hundred. He was a better player than his (twin) brother (Mark) because he had this mental stubbornness.” – Bacher on Steve Waugh.

Lastly, Ali Bacher claimed that the current Indian team is the best he has seen since the Kapil Dev era. And the one he credited for it was former Captain Virat Kohli, who had scores of 38 and 76 during India’s recent 1st Boxing Day Test loss to South Africa by an inning and 32 runs.

“You’ve got Kohli, the best batsman today. Kohli has made this team because I always felt that with India, there was no rubbish said on the field. They behaved themselves. Good boys. Not Kohli. You can see him a mile off and he reminds me of an Australian. He’s injected that fighting spirit. I’m a big admirer of his, he is the best batsman in the world today.” – Ali Bacher concluded.

Meanwhile, the 2nd Test between South Africa and India is set to start from January 3rd at the Newlands Cricket Ground.