Test cricket is a different ball game but Suryakumar Yadav, with his amazing skill-set and the ability to think out of the box, is “perfectly equipped” to play the traditional format, Sachin Tendulkar said on Wednesday.

“From entering into T20s and ODIs and now in the Test squad, he has made an incredible impression around the globe. Whoever follows Surya, they fall in love with his ability and way he thinks,” Sachin said. “But Test cricket is going to be different. Surya looks perfectly equipped to play Test cricket.

“Someone of his calibre should be considered along with KL Rahul and Shubman Gill. All three are capable players and I don’t want to pass any judgement here but all three are capable enough to walk into the team,” the former India captain said.

Test cricket’s highest run scorer did not want to be dragged into the debate on an ideal playing XI but said consistency is a must to retain a spot in the team.

“I don’t want to get into team combinations and all that. But if we get into recent past, Gill has been in good form and Rahul hasn’t been able to contribute, but such is life. You go through these ups and downs. They both are excellent players and to retain position in the team, one has to continue scoring runs,” Sachin said.

Sachin said it augurs well for the team ahead of the Test series against Sachin would certainly be watching the keen contest between Nathan Lyon and Virat Kohli as that would be one of the great match-ups.

“World cricket needs these kind of rivalries. It is important to have those rivalries and remember when Australia had come in 1998, it was termed Warne vs Tendulkar and I had to remind everyone that it is not Warne vs Tendulkar but Australia vs India. But everyone likes to see such rivalries.”

Pujara is set to complete the 100-Test milestone during the second game of the series at the Kotla in New Delhi. “I feel Pujara’s achievements aren’t recognised enough and his importance in the team isn’t recognised enough, generally.” Tendulkar thinks the Aussies will miss Mitchell Starc.

“Nathan Lyon is a world-class bowler and he becomes more effective when Starc is there because of the rough patches created for right-handers outside the off-stump. These are the things which will come into play.”

Written with PTI inputs