'Batting wasn't his only gift': Kaif says Sachin's arm surpassed Jadeja's

For millions, Sachin Tendulkar's legacy begins and ends with the bat. However, Mohammad Kaif believes one of the greatest chapters of the batting legend's career has quietly slipped under the radar, his remarkable fielding.

The former India cricketer has praised Tendulkar's discipline and commitment on the field, saying the cricket icon's work ethic made him one of the safest and most dependable fielders of his generation.

According to Kaif, Tendulkar's excellence was never accidental but the result of relentless practice that continued throughout his illustrious 24-year international career.

Speaking on JioStar, Kaif recalled how Tendulkar never treated fielding as an afterthought.

'Sachin paaji was a formidable fielder. We often remember diving catches, like Jonty Rhodes' famous dive, but the amount of ground Sachin paaji covered just by running was outstanding. The man had a proper routine. There wasn't a single net session where he didn't practise fielding,' he said.

Kaif also pointed to Tendulkar's remarkable consistency, saying dropped catches were a rarity despite the enormous number of matches he played for India.

Whether stationed in the slips or patrolling the cover region, the batting great remained a reliable presence in the field.

He went on to compare Tendulkar's throwing ability with one of modern cricket's finest fielders.

'He played for India for 24 years, and do you remember him dropping catches? There may have been one or two on rare occasions, but otherwise he was an exceptionally safe fielder, whether in the slips or at cover, and he had a rocket arm. People talk about Jadeja's throwing arm, but Sachin paaji's was even more powerful,' Kaif added.

While Tendulkar famously admitted that batting was his passion and fielding often felt like torture, his numbers tell a different story.

The Indian legend finished with 115 catches in One Day Internationals and another 140 in Test cricket, underlining a career built not only on extraordinary batting but also on unwavering standards in the field.