Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has shared his views on the pitches in New Zealand have become a lot more batting-friendly since his time.
“Of late, the Tests in New Zealand have been high scoring and surfaces have changed,” Tendulkar told PTI during an exclusive interview.
India will play five T20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Tests during their tour to New Zealand starting with the shortest format of the game on January 24. From 2002, when India played ODIs and Tests on green tops, to 2009, when India won only their second Test series in 32 years, Tendulkar was a part of the squad and seen everything.
“I remember when we played in 2009, the Hamilton pitch was different compared to other pitches. Other pitches got harder (Wellington and Napier) but not Hamilton. It remained soft. But Napier became hard with passage of time (where Gautam Gambhir scored an epic match-saving 12-hour hundred in 2009). So, from my first tour (in 1990 till 2009), I realised pitches got harder with passage of time,” Sachin Tendulkar said.
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However, he is confident that the Indian bowling attack is capable enough to put New Zealand in trouble as well.
“We have a good bowling attack with quality fast bowlers as well as spinners. I believe we have the ammunition to compete in New Zealand. Wellington, I have played and it makes a huge difference if you are bowling with the wind or against the wind. The batsman needs to be judicious in the choice of which end he wants to attack, it is very important,” he said.
Moreover, Tendulkar also said he would prefer spinners to bowl against the breeze rather than pacers.
“…the seamers bowling against the strong breeze need to be smart. So I would prefer that if there is strong breeze, let the spinner bowl from that end and from the opposite end, the fast bowler bowls with the breeze behind him,” he said.
However, the legend is confident that Rohit Sharma’s white-ball experience will be important in the Tests as well.
“The challenge would be to go out and open in different conditions. I think Rohit had opened in New Zealand in ODIs and has been there quite a few times, he knows the conditions well. Eventually, Test cricket is Test cricket,” he said. “But all depends on surfaces that they provide. If they provide green tops, then it’s a challenge.”
“Injuries are part and parcel of the game when you play and push your body to the limits. When you play for your country you need to give your best and while you give your best, you can get injured. That’s okay,” Sachin Tendulkar concluded.
