'Sachin Tendulkar didn't like it, it frustrated him': Nasser Hussain relives 2001 India vs England Bangalore Test

Almost 20 years after Sachin Tendulkar was stumped the only time in his Test career, which was discussed a lot in the cricketing world, Nasser Hussain, who was the England captain during that series has come out in defence of his tactics against Tendulkar.

In the 329 innings that Sachin Tendulkar has batted in his record 200 Test matches, he has been out stumped only once and that was against England in 2001 in Bangalore. Almost 20 years after that incident, which was discussed a lot in the cricketing world, Nasser Hussain, who was the England captain during that series has come out in defence of his tactics against Tendulkar.

Sachin Tendulkar of India is stumped by James Foster of England during the third day of the 3rd test between India and England at the Chinaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, India (Getty Images)

Sachin Tendulkar was fed-up of the leg stump line being bowled by England bowlers, especially left-arm spinner Ashley Giles during the third Test in Bangalore.

Giles had managed to keep Tendulkar quiet by bowling into his pads from over the stumps. When Sachin was on 90, he decided to skip down the track to break the shackles but failed to make contact and was out stumped for the first time in his career in Test cricket, which remained the only time till he retired.

Hussain said it was not a pre-planned tactic that England came to India with but after seeing the match-situation he decided to come up with the plan of bowling to Tendulkar’s pads mainly to dry up the runs.

“I wasn't flying over to India thinking, 'This is what we'll do for Sachin'. It evolved as the three-match series went on and we found ourselves going into the last Test one down. As the pitches got flatter and there was nothing in them for our bowlers, I just had to think outside the box as captain.

“When we got to Bangalore it was clear 90 per cent of the pitch was flat but outside the right-hander's leg stump there was a bit of rough and it was spinning out of there,” Hussain wrote in his column for Daily Mail.

The former England captain said he sensed that Tendulkar did not like being tied down.

“So I looked at Tendulkar and thought, 'Where would they prefer Ashley to bowl? The bit where it isn't spinning or the bit that gives Giles something to play with?' The plan, then, was for the left-arm spinner Giles to bowl over the wicket into that rough and you could see Tendulkar didn't like it. It frustrated him. And in the end he was stumped by keeper James Foster,” Hussain wrote.

Hussain also defended Giles and said he cared more about getting Tendulkar’s wicket than thinking about the criticism he might have to deal with after the Test match.

“It is harsh on Giles that to an extent he is remembered more for that plan to Tendulkar than for much of what he achieved with England. He was a better bowler than that. But he did it for me as his captain and he did it for his team.

“It was not to the taste of everyone. The then MCC president Ted Dexter said our tactics were against the spirit of cricket and called for a revision of the laws.

“But I was more interested in trying to win a Test for England in difficult conditions against India,” Hussain said.

England are currently in India for full-fledged series featuring four Tests, five T20Is and three ODIs. The four-match Test series will begin from Friday in Chennai.