Rajeev Shukla Sachin Tendulkar. Image Credits: AFP
Rajeev Shukla, the honorary vice president of the BCCI, praised Sri Lankan batter Sonal Dinusha by comparing him to former legend Sachin Tendulkar after he fought back against India in the 2-game Test series.
Dinusha, 25, made a significant impact in the home Test series against India. He scored back-to-back centuries, including his maiden Test hundred in the first game. His composure and temperament under pressure received applause from across the world.
Rajeev Shukla sees glimpses of Sachin Tendulkar in Sonal Dinusha
Meanwhile, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla also noticed Sonal Dinusha’s heroics and praised him on social media. He opined that Dinusha’s skillset and temperament reminded him of India's legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
Rajiv Shukla also added that Sonal Dinusha has the potential to become an excellent player for Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
"This Sonal of Sri Lanka is an amazing player. Looking like Tendulkar. Can be a wonderful Test player in international cricket," Shukla posted on X.
Needless to say, getting compared to Sachin Tendulkar is a massive compliment for Sonal Dinusha. However, the comparison is not justified as Dinusha’s Test career is just 5 games old.
Sonal Dinusha must stay grounded and focus on consistency if he wants to convert this blazing start into a long, promising career, like Tendulkar did for India.
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Sonal Dinusha’s record rampage vs India
Sonal Dinusha has earned this massive praise from Rajeev Shukla following his extraordinary performance against India. In the first Test, he scored his maiden Test hundred to help Sri Lanka fight back.
Though the Lankans lost the game, Dinusha was yearning for revenge. In the second Test at Colombo, he scored yet another hundred after Sri Lanka lost 5 wickets at just 90 runs in the second innings.
Not only that, after India enforced a follow-on, Dinusha scored a half-century to forge a defining partnership with Keshara Nuwantha. His innings could help Sri Lanka save this Test and avoid a series sweep defeat.
Clearly, Sri Lanka has unearthed a gem in Sonal Dinusha. But his long-term success will depend on how the board nurtures him and safeguards his future.
Shukla's deep affection for Tendulkar
It's important to note that Rajeev Shukla has always shared a close bond with Sachin Tendulkar. He was Team India's media manager around 2002, including the infamous NatWest Trophy win. During his low phases, Shukla defended Tendulkar and stood by him throughout the Greg Chappell phase as well.
Not only that, but Shukla also reportedly tried to convince Tendulkar to delay his retirement in 2013. These instances prove that Rajeev Shukla knows Sachin Tendulkar in and out. Hence, his comparison of Dinusha to Tendulkar carries a lot of weight.
But at the same time, Sonal Dinusha will carry a truckload of expectations going forward. These comparisons to former legends will only add to that weight. Hence, it’s crucial for the young batter to focus only on his on-field performance.
Shutting down outside noise in this day and age is nearly impossible. But if Dinusha can become indifferent to it, he can achieve great heights in red-ball cricket.
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