Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 21 (ANI): Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar hailed the current Indian set-up, saying that it is no longer just a 'batting powerhouse', but world-class pacers and spinners have made this team 'filled with talent, youth and experience'.

Sachin was speaking to Boria Majumdar during the sixth season of Backstage with Boria.

Speaking to Boria, Sachin said, 'This team is filled with talent and has a great mix of youth and experience. What excites me the most is the fearless approach they have. Players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and now Shubman Gill are carrying forward the legacy in their own way. Also, the way our bowlers have evolved is fantastic. India is no longer just a batting powerhouse - we have world-class pacers and spinners as well.'

Tendulkar is at no wrong here, as over the years, Team India has witnessed some class and exciting batters like Virat, Rohit, Shubman Gill, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer. These batters have not only helped India maintain an unbeaten run at home in Test cricket for over 12 years till it was broken by New Zealand last year but also helped them solidify themselves as a white-ball cricket powerhouse. While Team India did fumble in knockouts in recent years, their 10-match unbeaten run to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 runners-up finish at home and T20 World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy wins in 2024 and this year has made them a limited-overs cricket giant.

The efforts of the batters have been complemented well by bowlers, with spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja helping India establish Test supremacy at home with both ball and bat, with stars like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma also delivering spells that made fast bowling cool again among the masses. Over the last two years, the growth of young express pacers like Mayank Yadav, Umran Malik and Kartik Tyagi has also excited fans.

Speaking on the evolution of the sport in an age where T20 leagues occupy the calendar consistently, Sachin said that cricket's consistent evolution is great, but Test cricket remains the 'ultimate challenge'.

'T20 leagues like the IPL have given young players a platform to express themselves. But at the same time, Test cricket remains the ultimate challenge. The format demands patience, technique, and endurance. I always tell young cricketers that no matter how much T20 you play, Test cricket will always be the true test of a cricketer's ability,' he concluded. (ANI)