Most commentators and former players would rank Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest batsman after Don Bradman but former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas has rated the Indian icon as the best of all time, even above the legendary Australian.
"People keep calling him (Bradman) the greatest. I never saw him bat but I know, somehow, that he couldn't have been better than Tendulkar," Abbas, considered one of the finest batsmen Pakistan has produced, said.
"This boy (Tendulkar) has certainly gone a step ahead of the Don. Just look at the guy. I mean, he has been playing for 21 years, has scored thousands of runs, dozens of centuries but is still hungry for more as a debutant. It's such an inspiring sight to see him go out there and still bat like he batted as a teenager. Our batsmen should learn from him," Abbas told News on Sunday.
Abbas lamented he was not playing in the current era and said he envied Tendulkar because of his never ending appetite for runs.
"I am proud that I am the only Asian to have scored over 100 first class hundreds but after 16 years of international cricket I just played 78 tests. I wonder if I was born in the seventies. I could have played twice as many Tests and have scored so many more runs. Probably I was born in the wrong era," he said.
"Tendulkar is so good and so lucky to be born at just the right time. It's a great combination," said Abbas, who is known as Asian Bradman for his run making ability and remains the only Asian to have 100 first class hundreds.
Zaheer advised Pakistan batsman to take more responsibility and to stay at the wicket. He said he did not think Pakistan batsmen had any technical faults but just lacked application and temperament.
"They should stop going for shortcuts at international level."
