‘Was Sachin Your Role Model?': Steve Waugh on Why Ajinkya Rahane Reminded Him of the Master Blaster

Ex-Australian captain Steve Waugh said Ajinkya Rahane's batting technique resembles Sachin Tendulkar's. Rahane confirmed he modeled his game on Tendulkar while growing up in Mumbai. The two briefly played together before Tendulkar retired in 2013.

Ajinkya Rahane, Sachin Tendulkar, and Steve Waugh (File Photo)

Image Credit: Getty + Instagram/ stevewaugh

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh apparently viewed Ajinkya Rahane as the modern batter who bore the closest technical and stylistic resemblance to Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, drawing striking parallels between the two Mumbai greats during a candid conversation.

Steve Waugh and Sachin Tendulkar locked horns with each other in some of the most fiercely contested series of their era, where the two legends defined the Border-Gavaskar rivalry with their grit and sheer brilliance. Though Waugh and Tendulkar share mutual respect during and after their playing days, it was former Australian captain Waugh’s sharp-eyed observation that cannot be denied.

Having built his reputation as one of Australia’s finest captains to have ever graced the game, Waugh watched modern Indian cricket evolve closely, and Sachin Tendulkar’s batting technique had left an indelible mark on a whole generation of aspiring cricketers.

Waugh’s Question Struck a Chord with Rahane

Steve Waugh made his appearance on Ajinkya Rahane’s podcast, The Champion Mindset, where both spoke at length about the evolution of modern batsmanship, the mental fortitude required to succeed at the highest level, and how the traditions of Indian batting continue to influence contemporary stars.

However, Waugh turned to an interviewer briefly to ask Rahane a direct and personal question about whether the legendary Master Blaster served as his ultimate blueprint growing up.

“I have a question for you. When I saw you, I thought this is a player that most looks like Tendulkar. Did you model your game around Sachin?,” Waugh asked.

“Because you had that small backlift, very straight and compact. Well-balanced, composed. Was he your role model?” he added.

Sachin Tendulkar’s batting was often discussed during his playing days, given that despite his short stature, he possessed an extraordinary ability to dominate world-class attacks. Cricketers from Mumbai have often looked up to Tendulkar as the ultimate embodiment of batting perfection.

Rahane Reveals How Sachin Inspired Him While Growing Up

Ajinkya Rahane, who retired from his illustrious career in July, has revealed how Sachin Tendulkar inspired him while growing up, adding that watching the legendary batter's discipline, dedication, and textbook approach to the game shaped his own journey through Mumbai's intensely competitive domestic system.

“While growing up? Yes, probably everyone’s role model was Sachin Tendulkar at that point in time. Growing up in Mumbai at Wankhede Stadium, watching Sachin bat… playing with my mates in my backyard, I always used to copy Sachin Tendulkar,” Rahane said.

“His backlift, keeping my hands as close as possible and trying to play the straight drive like Sachin, that beautiful straight drive. Everyone enjoyed it. Watching him bat, then got an opportunity to play with him with the First-Class team, then in international as well. So he was the role model,” he added.

Rahane and Tendulkar played only one first-class match for Mumbai against Railways in 2012 and featured in only one match for Team India together, marking a brief yet unforgettable intersection of eras where the disciple shared the field with his ultimate inspiration.

Sachin Tendulkar retired from international cricket in 2013 as the leading run-scorer with 34357 runs, including 100 centuries and 164 fifties, at an average of 48.52 in 664 matches.