India captain Virat Kohli thanked Sachin Tendulkar for his words of praise as one cricketing superstar paid tribute to another in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2018.

Kohli is one of six sportspeople in the list alongside tennis great Roger Federer, NBA superstar Kevin Durant, snowboarder Chloe Kim, figure skater Adam Rippon and the NFL’s JJ Watt.

The prestigious list includes tributes from equally famous personalities from across the globe with Tendulkar penning the appreciation for Kohli, who was placed in the ‘titans’ section of the list that also included pioneers, leaders, artists and icons.

Recalling the time when he first saw Kohli – at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup – Tendulkar wrote: “That was the first time I watched this young, passionate player lead India. Today Virat Kohli is a household name and a champion in cricket. Even back then, his hunger for runs and consistency was remarkable, something that has become the hallmark of his game.

“Every sportsman knows what it’s like to have good spells and bad ones too. Virat took the criticism he faced during a disappointing West Indies series and returned home with a goal: to improve not only his technique, but also his fitness level. He’s never looked back.”

Kohli took to Twitter to thank Tendulkar for his encouraging words.

“Thank you Sachin paaji for such warm and encouraging words. Truly honored for being able to make it to the Time’s 100 list”.