We can learn lot from India: Langer

ADELAIDE: Australia coach Justin Langer compared Virat Kohli with Sachin Tendulkar and said the India captain’s balance while playing shots all around across formats is “unbelievable”.

After his 39th ODI hundred helped India to a series-levelling win, Langer said: “I would like to have them both in my team. Sachin was an incredible cricketer. I used to watch him and it was like he was meditating. He was so calm and that’s why his record is peerless.

“Virat is doing the same thing. He is so calm and competitive, and his balance is unbelievable. For him to play 360-degree shots in all formats of the game, his balance is unbelievable.”

Langer said it is a blessing in disguise for the young Australian cricketers to play against the likes of Kohli and MS Dhoni.

“He (Kohli) is a great competitor and his concentration is extraordinary, and for someone to make so many runs as he has it is incredible.

“Sachin and Virat, and Dhoni, who averages 50-plus in 340 games, they are all-time great players and our guys are in the best seats at the moment, playing some of the best all-time great ODI players and they will be better from the experience.”

Langer said the Australia’s inexperience was exposed. “We’re playing against three alltime great ODI players (Rohit Sharma’s ton at SCG).

“In big tournaments like the World Cup, I like to see our guys under pressure like they were tonight so it will be much better for the experience … The MCG game is going to be huge.”

Langer praised centurion Shaun Marsh. “Shaun’s innings was absolutely brilliant. We had some good 50-run partnerships, but we talked about getting big hundreds and Shaun did that.”