NEW DELHI: As Kiwi stars Kane Williamson and Tim Southee attained the milestone of playing 100 Test matches, batting great Sachin Tendulkar hailed them as the "torchbearers" of New Zealand cricket on Friday.
Tendulkar said on his social media account X that it was "fitting' that both Williamson and Southee played their 100th Test match together after 16 years of playing in the 2008 U19 World Cup.
The 50-year-old also sent his best wishes to the Kiwi cricketers for reaching the remarkable feat against Australia.
"Kane Williamson and Tim Southee have been the torchbearers of New Zealand cricket ever since they burst onto the scene at the 2008 U-19 World Cup. It is only fitting that they also play their 100th Test match together around 16 years later. All the very best to them for their landmark match against familiar foes Australia," Tendulkar wrote on X.
Williamson and Southee became the fifth and sixth Black Caps players to reach the 100 Test match milestone, respectively.
In 2008, the two seasoned Blackcaps players competed together in the ICC Men's U19 Cricket World Cup, where their team advanced to the semifinals before falling to eventual winners, India.
(With ANI inputs)
