The batting legend Sachin Tendulkar recently shared his thoughts on the ICC World Test Championship. He thinks this contest brings the much-needed excitement to the longer format of the game. Every team is trying to grab as many points as they can to be at the top of the points table.
“I think the World Test Championship is important, more so for spectators as they would be following each and every match. I believe the last six months are going to get really exciting because many numbers will come into play. WTC means a lot to everyone and that includes cricketers also. I know cricketers will go out to win each and every match and at no stage the rubber will be dead,” he added.
“In a 3-Test series, if a team has won first two games, then there is a tendency that people don’t follow sometimes and there is not as much excitement amongst spectators. But as far as cricketers are concerned, they will want to go out and win every match. What this has done is made each and every match significant, not just for cricketers, but for spectators also and that is really important for cricket,” he said.
While he was asked about the likes of Virat Kohli promoting Test cricket and making their love for it, Sachin Tendulkar said this is amazing as he considers it is the toughest format.
“When it comes to players advocating Test cricket, I feel it is wonderful thing to happen to Test cricket as I have always believed that Test cricket is the toughest format if it is played on good fair wickets. That will encourage spectators to come and watch upfront fast bowling and some great batting and then the spinners also come into play. So, they get a taste of all three aspects of cricket,” added the batting legend.
“I feel this WTC would have a greater meaning if the games are played on good Test cricket wickets, otherwise, as we have seen earlier, you feel stagnated and you feel that the game is not going anywhere. That becomes slightly boring to watch. But if played on good wickets, it will generate good matches for spectators,” he further added.
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India at home have been so consistent that they are unbeatable in recent times and Sachin Tendulkar feels that South Africa will have a huge task ahead.
“This series is going to be a decent series. South Africa have very few batters who have come here and played in the longer format. So, somewhere they will have to make a lot of adjustments and change their thinking and game. There is no option but to be positive in mind. The Indian bowlers know exactly how to use the SG ball and there are stages during those 80 overs that the ball does peculiar things and that is something which our team understands very well. That is going to be a key factor as in when the ball starts moving and stopping. How long it has that zip off the surface, all that factors come into play,” he told.
“I have noticed in India it is not always the new ball which is difficult to play. Sometimes, it is the ball after the 15th over and till the 45-50th over that is the tough period to play. I think all these elements will come into play when the Indian bowlers are bowling and even when we bat, we would know how to handle the South African bowlers. Yes, I have to say there are some good bowlers (in the Proteas team) so one would have to be on their toes and build partnerships,” he shared.
While he was asked about the Indian batting, Sachin Tendulkar said that there are some brilliant guys who can pull off the things.
“We have got some terrific batters in the team where Rohit (Sharma) would be opening, Ajinkya (Rahane) will be back in the team with more surety, (Cheteshwar) Pujara is there, Virat (Kohli) is there, (Hanuma) Vihari…a number of guys are there. They will all add value and I see this series as a tough one for South Africa. A lot will depend on how many runs they put on the board. If they don’t put big runs on the board, I think it is going to be tough for them,” he concluded.
