Don't compare Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli: Jonty Rhodes

South African Jonty Rhodes during a felicitation function in Chennai yesterday. Pic/PTI

Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes said Sachin Tendulkar and current India captain Virat Kohli are both great in their own way and it is wrong to compare the duo.

"I am not a great believer in records and I don't like to compare players from different eras. They are wonderful players. Both are great in their own way. Tendulkar is Tendulkar and Virat [Kohli] is Virat," he said at a function to felicitate the school's achievers in the field of sports.

When asked if Kohli could break Tendulkar's records, he said, "Tendulkar started at the age of 16 and played till the age of nearly 40, for almost 24 years, I don't know if Kohli can play for such a long time, given the demands of a modern-day cricketer."

On Kohli, he said, "Virat has started his career very well. His prolific run-scoring is incredible. He has made a lot of runs at a young age. Kohli must be just Kohli and should not be compared to Sachin."

Asked who was his favourite Indian fielder, the former South African cricketer, who is on the coaching staff of IPL team Mumbai Indians, said, "Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif were some of the better fielders around. Virat Kohli, he is ok. But Suresh Raina for me is the best fielder in India. He goes for the ball, regardless of whether he thinks he can get it or not. He reminds me a lot of a much younger Jonty Rhodes."