Tendulkar should be part of World Cup winning team: Pathan

Kolkata, Nov 13 : Describing Sachin Tendulkar as the best role model for a sportsman, Indian pacer Irfan Pathan Friday said he wanted to see the master blaster as a member of the World Cup winning team in 2011.

"There cannot be a better role model than him. I am lucky to have shared the dressing room with somebody like Sachin," Pathan told reporters at the Eden Gardens here.

Tendulkar is days away from completing 20 years of international cricket.

"Best wishes for him for reaching this great milestone...It's not easy to cope up with the huge pressure. It drains your body and mind. And it's also difficult to stay away from your family for a better part of every year," Pathan said.

"I really wish to see him as a part of the World Cup winning Indian team," he added.

"In 2011, we are hosting it (along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). Hopefully, we will then win the World Cup with Sachin as a member of our side. The whole country wants him to win a World Cup," said Pathan, who was here as member of the Baroda team for the Ranji Trophy Elite Group match against Bengal.

Pathan said he had a lot of happy memories with Tendulkar in the Indian team. "Once he told me not to make a conscious effort to swing the ball. He said 'in your bowling, swing comes naturally'. This piece of advice is something I won't ever forget. Today I know how valuable an advice it was," he recalled.

--IANS