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'It skids off the surface': Tendulkar predicts when the ball will start reverse swinging during Chennai Test
With the first Test starting tomorrow, Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has predicted when the ball is likely to start reverse swinging. Tendulkar expects the Chennai track to have bounce due to the red soil content.
One of the key weapons fast bowlers possess in their arsenal is their ability to reverse swing the ball. In Test match cricket, it is one of the most crucial components of fast bowling and several greats of cricket have been masters of the art.
India will face the challenge during the four-match Test series as they have to withstand the pressure from Jofra Archer, James Anderson, and Stuart Broad. And among them, Anderson has the remarkable ability to get the ball to reverse swing.
With the first Test starting tomorrow, Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has predicted when the ball is likely to start reverse swinging. Tendulkar expects the Chennai track to have bounce due to the red soil content and in the humid conditions, the ball could start reversing as early as 15th over and continue till the 60th, he feels.
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"I think fast bowlers are going to play a big role here, and more so, reverse swing could be a factor. I believe that the ball will reverse from 15th over to 60th over. When the ball reverses, it skids off the surface and there is less reaction time.
"From 60-80th over, ball can still reverse but due to its softness, the batsmen find more time to adjust off the surface."
Talking about adjustment, Tendulkar finds it easier to adjust to SG Test from Kookaburra rather than vice-versa.
"To go back from Kookaburra to SG is a much easier transition than going from SG to Kookaburra. You need some adjustments after playing with kookaburra for so long but I don't see that as a problem," the master blaster said.
"Adjustment would have been a factor if there was a big break between two series and we are to play a Test match literally with a couple of days of practice, so not a big problem as far as I am concerned."
Tendulkar also expects reverse swing to play an important role in the series with the England pace attack having enough firepower to exploit that aspect of the game.
"Good upright seam position makes a huge difference when you have to bowl reserve swing and someone like a Jofra Archer, whose seam position is upright, will get the ball to reverse, and James Anderson has always been a good exponent of swing, reverse swing bowling.
"Ben Stokes will also chip in with few important overs, and so will (Stuart) Broad, on the whole their bowling attack is a decent bowling attack, it’s a bowling attack with great experience and couple of youngsters who have just started their career," he added.
(with PTI inputs)
