#TFGtake: ABD a great entertainer, but long way to go before reaching SRT's iconic status

EX-SOUTH AFRICAN cricketer Fanie de Villiers has made a bold statement that probably offers some food for thought. The former fast bowler has predicted AB de Villiers will become more popular than Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar in the future.

Fanie's explanation about why AB is the most loved non-Indian cricketer in India is justified to an extent. He calls him a 'marketable' player -- someone who is perfect in all aspects and can be easily marketed across platforms. He doesn't sport any of those fancy things - no tattoos, no flashy hair styles and no earrings. All these qualities in addition to his supreme batting capabilities make him as good as Tendulkar. And he's right in a way. 

In fact, if we take a closer look at some of the greatest sportsmen in the world, there's one quality that is common between all of them -- simplicity. Fanie cites examples from the tennis world such as Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. Both Sachin and AB belong to this very category -- popular as hell, yet grounded.

Perhaps what triggered Fanie to make such a strong statement was the fact that there has been no cricketer after Tendulkar, foreign or Indian, to have received the kind of adulation that AB gets every time he plays in India. Thrice in the ODI series against India, AB was cheered like nobody's business when he was on the verge of getting a hundred. That India was being thumped didn't matter at that point in time. TFG was the first to catch the trend and even did an analysis on it.

However, it is important to back your words with figures. Tendulkar's career spanned 24 years, during which he became the highest run-getter in world cricket, played 200 Tests and 463 ODIs, and scored 100 international centuries. He started at the tender age of 16, and went on to break every single record there was. Like every cricketer, Tendulkar struggled with bad form and injuries, but it was unbelievable how he came back each time and still had a lot of time on his hand. His longevity is something that distinguishes him from every other cricketer of his era, and extends his popularity beyond the sport.

Let's take a look at AB's numbers. He made his international debut in 2004, has played 98 Test matches and 195 ODIs so far with a total of 44 hundreds across formats and 17,000 international runs. He is 31 and has already spent 11 years in international cricket. How many more active years does he possibly have? Even if he plays top-level cricket for the next five years, there's no guarantee that he will reach anywhere close to Tendulkar's numbers. In the meantime, he will also have to battle injuries, a potential bad patch (you never know) and still be as good. No matter how great a cricketer is, there is always a time in their career when they ought to fight their own demons and few can emerge stronger than before. Statistically, AB is still a work-in-progress.

In terms of being crowd favourites, it is unfair to compare Sachin and AB. The former is an epitome of Indian cricket, and no cricketer can ever match up to his impact to being worshipped only next to god in India. Kids who grew up in the 90s probably know what it is to become emotionally invested in someone like Tendulkar.

AB is popular for his surreal batting skills, but it is unlikely that he can strike an emotional chord with the Indian audience, or even audiences in other cricket-playing countries. In the age of T20 cricket, watching his 360 degree approach is fascinating for today's generation. But will Indian cricket fans switch off their television sets after AB's dismissal? Will they ever worship him?

AB is a great entertainer, and the fans like to watch and cheer him for that. But so is a certain Chris Gayle in limited overs cricket. But that does not make them icons. Ask a cricket fan in India if they love any other cricketer, even an Indian one, more than Sachin Tendulkar. Fanie de Villiers will get his answer right now.

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