Flashback: When Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid outsmarted Chris Cairns

Sachin Tendulkar is widely recognised for his ability to unsettle bowlers with just his presence on the pitch. (Source: PTI)

Sachin Tendulkar has been known to be the scourge of many a bowler over the course of his glorious career. His influence over the bowler didn’t just stop with his time at the crease, he was just as lethal at the non-striker’s end.

In a recent interview with Max Walker, the little master shed some light about his troubles with reverse swing against former New Zealand seamer Chris Cairns.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwq6B8VKnjA?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent&w=640&h=390]

“We were getting beaten, and we were sort off, clueless,” said Tendulkar off Cairns excellent use of reverse swing.

“I told Rahul Dravid that I had an idea, since i was at the non-strikers end I was closer to the bowler so when he is walking back to his run-up, I would be watching him closely and I’d be watching the ball, so i could tell which side was shiny and which one was rough. So I told Rahul that whichever side was the shiny side, I’d hold my bat in that hand. If he bowled an outswinger the bat would be in my left hand, if it was an inswinger that was coming, the bat would be in the right hand.,” said the master blaster when asked about his revolutionary strategy.

“That’s the only time in my career I’ve seen a batsman looking at me instead of the bowler who was bowling,” added Tendulkar.

“In short, it’s all about being a step ahead of the opposition,” finished Tendulkar.

Source:: Indian Express