India tour of Australia: ‘Steve Smith needs to be tested around the off-stump channel’ – Sachin Tendulkar advises Indian bowlers

India tour of Australia: ‘Steve Smith needs to be tested around the off-stump channel’ – Sachin Tendulkar advises Indian bowlers
Steve Smith

With India’s tour of Australia looming and the limited overs series which is scheduled to begin on November 27 approaching, much of the talk has as expected focus however, on the Test series. The Test series will begin on December 17 at Adelaide and there will be three more test matches at the MCG, SCG and Gabba.

The key batsman for the Test series for Australia will be their former captain Steve Smith and all the talk before the series has revolved around how the Indian pace attack will get the ace batsman out. Smith stated in a recent interview with cricket.com.au that he was raring to go in the series.

There have been discussions about bowling short deliveries to Smith to stifle him like Neil Wagner of New Zealand did. But Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has stated that bowling outside the off-stump is the way to go against Smith.

‘Aim between fourth and fifth stump’ – Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar termed Steve Smith’s batting style as ‘unconventional’ and advised bowlers to bowl outside-off to him.

“Smith’s technique is unconventional… Normally, we tell a bowler in Test matches to bowl on and around off stump or maybe fourth-stump line,” Tendulkar told PTI. “But for Smith, because he shuffles, maybe that line moves further away [from off stump] by four to five inches. One has to aim between [an imaginary] fourth and fifth stump for Steve to nick one. It’s just a mental adjustment of line, more than anything else.”

Tendulkar further advised bowlers to always keep him on the back foot. “Smith, I read, said he is ready for the short-pitched stuff… probably he is expecting bowlers to be aggressive up front with him. But I think he needs to be tested on and around that off-stump channel. Keep him on [the] back foot and induce that early mistake.”

‘Pacing the innings in day-night tests is crucial’

The Adelaide Oval will host the day-night Test

Sachin Tendulkar also spoke about the challenge of playing day-night tests and how pacing an innings and timing of declarations become crucial. “Probably due to difference in timing, you have to score those quick runs in the first session of the day which is afternoon, when the pitch will be flat. The pink ball starts seaming around in twilight and that’s the ideal time to bowl,” Tendulkar said.

“So pacing the innings and the timing of declaration becomes very critical. Suppose you have a decent score on board and you are eight down at the sunset, you should declare rather than going for an extra 20 runs. Put the opposition in during that twilight hour and take two to three wickets straight up. That will be more valuable than those 20 runs,” he added.

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