Sunday, Jul 21, 2002
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Cricket
By Our Special Correspondent
Former Hampshire captain, television commentator and columnist Mark Nicholas anchored the programme that has featured some of the great players of modern times. In the programme broadcast live, Tendulkar brought about the salient features of his batting, like picking up the bat, the grip, forward and backfoot play and the relevance of keeping the head still while preparing to receive the ball. Tendulkar placed his MRF bat in line with the batting crease and picked it up with both hands. Immediately Nicholas asked him: "Your top hand and bottom hand go down the handle, unlike the conventional top hand grip of a majority of batsmen. Tendulkar was well prepared for all the quizzing Nicholas was to make during the course of the near fifteen minutes live broadcast. Tendulkar had said before that all through his 13-year career he has made adjustments in his stance, depending on the bowler he had to face. But to this question from Nicholas he said: "My grip helps me to play shots freely and manoeuvre at the last moment." A few minutes later Nicholas asked Benaud what he thought of Tendulkar's way of picking up the bat. "Well, Bradman used to pick up the bat with this top hand (left hand) first and then grip it with both hands. He did that a long time ago in the 1920s. It is remarkable how both played the on-drive in a similar fashion", said Benaud waving his left hand as if playing a shot over mid-wicket. Tendulkar explained the correctness and advantages of the conventional stance that dwelt on keeping the hands close to the body and the position of the elbow being straight and not tucked sideways. "I agree fully with him", said Barry Richards. While in Mumbai during the India-England series, David Gower had said: "He always believed in playing the shots under the eyes. It was all about essentials and demonstration of the rudimentary elements of batting. Nicholas asked Tendulkar what he thought was important to batting "Footwork or keeping the head still". The Indian maestro said: "Footwork is important, but co-ordination of the head and hands are also important. Keeping the head still helps to sight the moving ball and also its behaviour off the pitch.'' "Did not he handle it well", asked Shastri. It can be assumed that Tendulkar must have been briefed about how Nicholas was going to run the live programme. Even then, Tendulkar emerged with flying colours, articulating the fundamentals of the game to everyone's satisfaction. The likes of Benaud and Richards only gave the approving nod. Tendulkar finished the programme signing autographs and posing for pictures before rushing towards another side of the Rose Bowl for a knock at the nets.
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