Adapting like Tendulkar
Just been watching some highlights from the Perth Test match today. After watching Tendulkar safely cut over the slips, including one outrageous fine cut close to the body, it again amazes me how he manages to adapt to various conditions. Now, bouncy pitches like Perth or at Bloemfontain (where in 2001, Tendulkar merrily cut his way to a ton) aren't available for practice everywhere else. How does someone like Tendulkar summon up the resources and the confidence and even the cheek to try paddle-sweeps and fly-cuts in addition to the usual set of scalpels and power-saws in his quiver?The answer has to be just an abundance of talent, or as some say, genius.
2 comments:
He is technically perfect and that is something that came naturally to him, without him needing to sweat it out, a la Dravid. For some reason, the 'technically correct/copybook' batsmen are those who have been quite dull or don't hit the ball in the air. I don't think the 'book' asks you not to hit it in the air. So,a Dravid in good touch is a treat to watch but when he is hitting to the fielders, he is still playing it the way it should be,but that's a good shot in the nets, not on the field. Batsmen like Tendulkar and Richards and Pietersen are not given enough credit for their technique because they are just such good natural stroke-makers and people assume batting correctly means scoring a 100 off a minimum of 180 balls. Richards was always berated for hitting across the line. If you look at some of the slo-mos of his shots to mid-wicket, he has actually played though the line..the bat comes down perfectly and he rotates his wrists at the last possible nano-second. Tendulkar has been making huge runs in 2004-06 simply because he has got the best technique. He was not in form - because of whatever reasons, whether they were devils in his own mind or whether they were demands of the team management, I don't know - but he still made big runs..starting with the 241 in Sydney. I don't think you have to look beyond that innings to see how technically good he is.
He's got the natural talent and flare, but just that he needs conquer his own mental devils :-)
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