'The best player I ever played against' - Allan Donald picks three best-ever batters, names Sachin Tendulkar on top

Former South African pacer Allan Donald has revealed the top three batters he has played against, and Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar topped his list. Donald was one of the fastest bowlers of his time. There were players who were scared of him, looking at how he perceived the game personally, but as serious as he might sound, Donald was equally friendly and fun-loving,

He played against many legends, but kept Tendulkar atop the list of his best batters, terming him the most technically-sound batter he ever bowled to.

“Technically, the best player I ever played against was Sachin Tendulkar. Home or away, he could adapt. When he came to South Africa, you could clearly see that he adapted his technique to bouncier wickets. And he left the ball so well. He triggered in South Africa. In India, he didn’t because of lower bounce,” Donald told Paddy Upton on his podcast ‘Lessons From The World’s Best’.

“And his hands took over in India because the wickets just slid on so beautifully. And not to mention the turn, but in South Africa and Australia, he triggered a little bit. He got closer to off-stump, knew where he was. He got hundreds against every country in the world and in their own conditions,” Donald added.

Donald recalls memories with Sachin, calls him a ‘special player’

Donald faced Tendulkar many times, but his unforgettable memories included the 1992 and 1996 tours when India toured South Africa, and Tendulkar scored a ton in both the encounters. Donald said that after witnessing Tendulkar perform, he knew that he was up against a player very special.

Apart from Tendulkar, the other two players on his list were West Indies legend Brian Lara and former English skipper Michael Atherton. He also shared his memories with the former South African skipper Hansie Cronje, of how the latter would pass on the bowling responsibilities to him whenever the team had to face Brain Lara on the field.

“The next to me who was an absolute genius and a shot-maker to boot was Brian Lara. Hitting good balls for bour off back of a length, or that pick-up pull shot that he played. I know when they came to South Africa, Hansie Cronje said to me… whenever that guy comes to the wicket, you are on. You’ve got free liberty to just take him on.’ He got a 100 in Durban and he got a 100 at SuperSport Park. He was an absolute genius. Brian Lara for me, just… he smoked it to all parts,” he said.