Sachin Tendulkar: A stroke of genius

Sachin Tendulkar has increasingly used the across-the-line flick through midwicket to beat the off-side trap. This particular stroke, a newer addition to the maestro’s

repertoire, should be highly effective during the Cup

Before entering ‘the zone’ during that epic One-day International knock of 200 a year back in Gwalior, Sachin Tendulkar had found it tough to score against the South African quick Dale Steyn. His first four attempts to beat the off-side field were futile.

Twice he failed to beat the cover fielder, once he stone-walled on the off-side and the final ball of Steyn’s first over was respectfully played back to the bowler. Though, Tendulkar had failed to open his account but the four dot balls had seen his ever-ticking mind had made a few very vital inferences. Pitch: True bounce, predictable pace. Length: Just short of good length. Line: Outside the off stump. Fielding: A heavily guarded off-side.

Steyn’s next over, saw Tendulkar change his batting calibration. With the off-side way too crowded, his focus was now on the sparsely populated leg-side. He tried to pull but mistimed it to mid-on. South Africans were smiling, Tendulkar was pensive. The leg-side strategy needed one minor tweak. The risky ‘pull shot’ and the much safer flick was put on stand by.

Steyn again sticks to the ‘outside the off-stump’ line, but Tendulkar wasn’t wasting his time attempting to thread the needle in the cover region. Instead, he moves his left leg ‘forward-and-across’, whips the ball from the front of his pads and sends it beyond the mid-wicket boundary. South Africa’s off-side trap had failed. Steyn now had a wry smile, Tendulkar was still pensive. The battle had just been half won. The ‘across-the-line flick’ to mid-wicket opens the flood gates and Tendulkar’s historic journey was underway.

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