Former England captain Nasser Hussain on Saturday said Sachin Tendulkar and his "magnificent technique" would force his team to have many meetings merely to discuss strategies to dismiss the Indian batting great.

Tendulkar dominated Indian cricket for over two decades before retiring in 2013 as the holder of many batting records, including the highest run-getter in Test and ODI format, with most number of international centuries.

"Overall when I talk about all-time batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar had a magnificent technique. When I was England skipper, I cannot remember how many team meetings we used to have just to discuss how to get Tendulkar out," Hussain recalled.

He was speaking to Ian Bishop and Elma Smit in the latest episode of ICC podcast titled 'Cricket Inside Out'.

Hussain added, "For me, the technique is getting runs in all parts of the world, and I like someone who plays with soft hands and lets the ball come to him.

"Kane Williamson for me has a very good technique in the current era, he plays the ball late with soft hands.

"As a result of T20 cricket, players in the modern game play with hard hands, Williamson can play all three formats and can adapt his game to each."

Bishop also said that Tendulkar was the most difficult batsman he ever bowled to in his career.

"Sachin Tendulkar is one of the most difficult batsmen to whom I have bowled in my career. He always used to hit in the straight lines," Bishop said. 

Stokes is a bit like Kohli, he will turn out to be an excellent captain: Hussain

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has compared Ben Stokes' leadership abilities with Virat Kohli, saying the all-rounder will turn out to be an "excellent captain" when he dons the hat in Joe Root's absence during the first Test against the West Indies in Southampton, starting July 8.

England's World Cup hero Stokes was on last Tuesday named captain for the opening Test against the West Indies in place of Root, who has taken leave to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.

England will take on the West Indies in a three-match Test in a "bio-secure environment", which will mark the resumption of international cricket amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Generally, what Ben (Stokes) does is a bit like Virat (Kohli). Everything he does, he does it at 100 mile an hour. So, I think he will be an excellent captain, although he's only a stand-in captain," said Hussain.

"Joe Root is off with that baby, his second child. I think as a stand-in captain, I am absolutely behind it, absolutely great choice, very loyal as well to Joe Root. He won't have any kind of grandeur thinking that this is my job for life," added Hussain.

However, the 52-year-old right-handed batsman was not in favour of handing Stokes full-time captaincy at the moment, saying his platter is already full.

"But as a long-term thing, an all-rounder with so much on his plate, plays three formats, IPL possibly coming up, I think there's too much on his shoulders, but never write-off Ben Stokes," he said.

"He could make for an exceptional captain, but I am worried a little bit about his workload in the future if he does it full time," Hussain signed off.