Sachin Tendulkar was like God to me: MS Dhoni

Dhoni described Sachin as the “ideal role model”

Indian ODI & T20 skipper MS Dhoni has named Sachin Tendulkar as his inspiration, Zee News reports. Dhoni referred to the Indian legend as “God” and added that his humility in spite of being a tremendously successful personality made Sachin the “ideal role model.”

Tendulkar is arguably cricket’s greatest batsman in the modern era with a plethora of records to his name and Dhoni was all praise for his former teammate.

“When we were growing up, we used to watch Sachin (Tendulkar), he was like God to all of us. He had that aura around him,” said the wicketkeeper-batsman who cited Sachin’s passion for the game as one of his best qualities.

“Every time he turned on the field, he wanted to improve as a cricketer. I felt he was an ideal person to look up to and that is what we did."

Ironically, Dhoni himself was speaking at an event in New Jersey where he was honoured with a resolution for his on-field achievements and for being an inspiration.

"The Municipal Council of the Township of Edison recognises, commends and congratulates Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his overall athletic excellence in the field of limited-overs cricket and for his inspiration and outstanding character both on and off the field. By virtue of his leadership skills, outstanding conduct and character, humility and aversion to seeking publicity off the field, Dhoni has become an inspiration to children of all ages around the world, including South Asian children in New Jersey," the resolution stated, as reported by DNAIndia.

Dhoni is the most successful Indian skipper in all formats and had this to say when asked how he defined ‘success’

"Being practical in life and honest in life (is crucial)," he said. “One of the most difficult things to control is a man's greed. There is no upper limit to greed. But at the same time, we should practically set a standard as to this is what I want to achieve."

Dhoni also shared his view on how to achieve those goals.

"What is important is what you are doing today and tomorrow because those small steps will in turn help you achieve in life what you want to become. Small things matter more than the bigger goal. While it is very important to dream, it is also important to be in the present," said Dhoni.