Sachin Tendulkar has not missed out an opportunity to shower praise on Team India coach Gary Kirsten, who became India's next foreign coach after the departure of Australian Greg Chappell.Now, it's Kirsten's turn to use the praise brush. I think he (Tendulkar) is a professor in his batting. He has got incredible knowledge about his own batting and basically uses me as a sounding board.
After 21 years of playing the game he still wants to learn about his batting and still feels he needs someone to bounce ideas off. It has been a real privilege to have had that opportunity. I absolutely love it.
Every now and again we have had lengthy conversations about his batting, and other times we have had very little. It does vary according to how he is feeling about his batting.
One great example for young batsmen around the world I use is: Tendulkar studies the whole book for the exam. He does not leave anything to chance.
He will never finish a net session till he has made sure he has done everything that he feels is required to get him ready for the next match.
Sometimes it is 300 balls, other times it is 1500 balls, in the week leading up to the match. He has to leave the net feeling comfortable.
Young cricketers, are you all listening?