Chennai: If there was one all-rounder from the Sachin Tendulkar-era who would have been an instant hit in the IPL, he had to be Lance Klusener. And, the dashing South African himself knows that. Klusener, however, enjoyed a place in the star-studded Mumbai Indians’ dugout as batting coach for three years.
Klusener said coaching Tendulkar after having played against him was one of the highlights of his career. “Special players never stop learning. After going out to bat at the start of a session, Sachin would dig deep right till the end. We always tend to forget that the very best in the business always work the hardest. It was a privilege to coach him,” said Klusener, who was a consultant with South Africa during the England Test series.
Klusener, who is best remembered for taking on the likes of Glenn McGrath and Shoaib Akhtar at the peak of their prowess, believes the advent of T20 cricket has diminished batmsen’s desire to see off a bowler.
“As a batsman you have to be innovative to survive in T20s. You just can’t block a bowler like Anil Kumble and think you can take on the others. It’s about believing in your abilities. The modern batsmen are powerful, fit and execute shots with great confidence,” added the 44-year-old.
According to Klusener, West Indies all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard are the best multi-facated cricketers running around on the circuit.
A chat with a South African is never complete without the question: Is ABD the greatest batsman the rainbow nation has produced? “I think the world never saw the likes of Greame Pollock and Barry Richards. In this generation, however, I think AB is one of the best,” Klusener said.
