Chris Tremlett’s bounce and James Anderson’s swing will be key to nullify Sachin Tendulkar’s threat on England in the upcoming Test series against India, reckons former skipper Michael Vaughan. “I have seen him driving through balls early on and be bowled or lbw on a number of occasions. England could also undermine him with bounce, which is why Tremlett will be key. “If the ball is swinging, James Anderson nipping back a ball that pitches on fourth stump and hitting middle or off will be very dangerous,” Vaughan said.
He said England should make use of Tendulkar’s vulnerability in the early part of his innings. “Like all batsmen, he is at his most vulnerable early in the innings to the fuller delivery nipping back. A ball pitching on off stump and coming back through the gate will cause him problems,” Vaughan wrote in the ‘Daily Telegraph’ “England have to remember Tendulkar is only human. He makes mistakes. They must also forget the verbals. Let the ball do the talking instead. It is what he has done with his bat for 20 years.”
Discussing the Indian batsman’s technique, Vaughan said, “There have been various theories about batting over the last decade or so with buzz words such as trigger movements and forward presses. Tendulkar just stands still. He is dead side on. If you sat down with a pen and paper to draw the perfect batsman, you would sketch out Tendulkar’s profile.”
“The mid-on has got to be dead straight for Tendulkar. You can’t allow him to see the gap straight down the ground. “Your midwicket also has to be straight as well so when he looks to the leg side does not see an easy scoring option.” Having a quick and bouncy pitch will aid England in their battle against Tendulkar, Vaughan felt. “To nullify Tendulkar’s threat England will want pace in the pitch so their short balls or length deliveries are zipping through to the keeper,” he said.
“It is just a case of whether the administrators will let that happen (pace and bounce and bounce). They will not want three-day matches. Tendulkar is box office and that equals a lot of money for the Test match grounds. They will want four or five day cricket to maximise their takings,” Vaughan said. “Lord’s will be packed with fans hoping to see history made. There is an air of goodwill from everyone towards Tendulkar that other great players have not enjoyed. I have never heard anyone say anything bad about him. Normally when you have a guy who is the greatest sportsman in his field, he is seen as selfish and makes enemies. Not Tendulkar.”
What has amazed Vaughan is the fact that despite being 38, Tendulkar is still at the top of his powers. “After India’s tour to England in 2007 it felt as if we had seen the last of Sachin Tendulkar in this country. Sachin looked a bit fearful of the short ball, which tends to happen towards the end of a player’s career. “He didn’t score a hundred in the series and averaged only 38. To think he is still on the circuit, playing better than ever and is on the verge of a 100th international century is a phenomenal achievement,” he said of the champion batsman.
While making a comparison with the last tour, Vaughan said the difference from four years ago is that he will not duck and weave. He will take the short ball on. The best players see the short ball as a scoring opportunity, not just something to evade. According to Vaughan, Tendulkar is at the top of his list simply because of the pressure and weight of expectation he has coped with. “People ask why he is so good and what sets him apart from the rest? I played in an era of great batsmen but Tendulkar is top of the list simply because of the pressure and weight of expectation he has coped with. He is more famous in India than their prime minister or president.”
