Neeraj Chopra, India’s Olympic hero, has stated that he wants the "superpower" of cricket great Sachin Tendulkar to hurl the javelin. Like Tendulkar did while he was playing, Chopra wanted to be able to remain composed and face obstacles head-on. He claimed that having this mentality would benefit him in difficult competitions.

Chopra remarked during a television interview before the first-ever Neeraj Chopra Classic, an athletic competition named for the two-time Olympian. When asked which cricketer's "superpower" he would most like to possess, the Haryana star immediately selected Tendulkar.

“Sachin Tendulkar. He represented our country so well for so many years and made so many records for us. The way he faced challenges from many great bowlers and still performed exceptionally. I would want that superpower and try to do the same. It would help me handle challenges that come my way with a calm mindset,” Chopra said during an interview with Star Sports.

The 27-year-old is presently practicing under the Czech veteran Jan Zelezny, who currently owns the 98.48-meter javelin world record. Chopra told him about Zelezny's best advice to date and how it has benefited him in competition.

“Whenever I throw, I stay very energetic, but he (Zelezny) tells me I need to run in a flow. It shouldn’t feel tight - I should run like an 18-year-old kid without any tension. I’m slowly understanding the concept of flow,” Chopra said.

Recently, Neeraj Chopra recorded his first-ever 90-meter throw. At the Doha Diamond League, he accomplished the feat. Despite his outstanding performance, Chopra lost the title to Julian Weber, who also won the final round with his first-ever throw of 90 meters or more.

Asked which cricketer he thinks would be able to throw the javelin, Chopra said, “I have heard that Brett Lee was a javelin thrower. I think he could throw the javelin well, especially when he was in his peak years.

“I would like to try javelin with Jasprit Bumrah too, and hope he teaches me some bowling skills. While bowling and javelin are both throws, they are very different. I would like to learn from Bumrah.”

Asked whether he’s superstitious, Chopra said, “I try to stay calm on the day of my event. I don’t think too much about it. I just focus on giving my 100%. I try to stay relaxed, eat good food, and rest well.”

(ANI inputs)