Stressing on the importance of “front foot defence”, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar shared valuable advice for the India batters on how to tackle the South African bowlers in their own backyard.
Stressing on the importance of “front foot defence”, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar shared valuable advice for the India batters on how to tackle the South African bowlers in their own backyard. India are slated to play three Tests in South Africa with the first one starting in Centurion on Sunday. Tendulkar said how well the Indian batters use the front foot against the new ball will determine how they fare against the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi in the three-match series.
“I’ve always said, front foot defence is important. Upfront, front foot defence is important. And that front foot defence is going to count here. The first 25 overs, front foot defence is going to be critical,” Tendulkar told veteran sports journalist Boria Majumdar on his show ‘Backstage with Boria’.
The former India captain gave the example of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul’s batting in England and asked the Indian batters to follow the same model to find success in South Africa.
“That was what we got to see in England when Rohit and Rahul got those runs. They got beaten on occasion and that’s fine. Every batter gets beaten. Bowlers are there to pick wickets, so that’s okay. But when your hands start going away from your body, that is when you are likely to edge the ball,” he added.
Rohit and Rahul were one of India’s most consistent performers in England and Tendulkar said it was because both of them played close to their body.
“The reason for them continuing to bat was because their hands were close to their body. And that was the major difference between the earlier partnerships which were unsuccessful and the last tour of England where the openers really did a fabulous job,” he said.
India, however, will be without Rohit in the Test series. The right-hander, who was elevated as India’s vice-captain in red-ball cricket, has been ruled out of the Test series with a hamstring injury.
KL Rahul was named as vice-captain instead while Priyank Panchal replaced Rohit in the squad.
Rahul is likely to start with Mayank Agarwal in the Boxing Day Test in Centurion as India aim to win their maiden Test series in South Africa.