Respect overhead, pitch conditions for success in England: Tendulkar

New Delhi, Jun 19: To succeed in Test cricket, a strong showing in England has always been vital for young cricketers. More than their opponents, the young cricketers face a tougher challenge from the unpredictable weather and diverse pitches. All of this means that each session of Test cricket in England is full of intrigue.

In his distinguished 24-year international career, legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar enjoyed considerable success in England – amassing 1575 runs in 17 Tests in England at an average of 54.31. His highest score against England came through 193 at Headingley in 2002, the home of Yorkshire, the county he represented as their first overseas player in 1992.

With India all set to begin their quest for winning the newly established Tendulkar-Gavaskar Trophy at Headingley on Friday, Tendulkar recalled the rich experiences of playing Test cricket in England and cited three critical factors – respecting overhead conditions, wind factor, and pitch conditions – for achieving success as batters.

“There are certain places where if you perform, you get a lot of satisfaction, and England is without any doubt one of those. In England, if one has to be successful, I think there are certain elements in the game that one needs to respect. One is the overhead conditions, second is the wind factor and temperature, and third are the pitch conditions.”

“We need to take all these things into account when we decide to adapt a certain approach. If you want to attack, then all these elements should be taken into consideration. The hardness or the softness of the ball, and when the ball, especially the Dukes ball, is hard up front, there is this lacquer on the ball which goes away after 10 to 15 overs, and then the ball starts swinging a little more.”