Sachin Tendulkar describes the art and nuances of spin bowling in rainy, windy England

India has gone on two spinners for the World Test Championship final in Southampton which is likely to see several rain breaks. Since the prediction predicts frequent showers throughout the game, the hit legend is Sachin Tendulkar talk to The Indian express about the tactics and skills required to face the ever-changing overhead conditions.

Playing in rainy England

I noticed that in England you have to respect the overhead conditions. In India or on the subcontinent, it is the state of the playing field that is constantly changing. As the game progresses, the field crumbles and the ball begins to spin. In England, when there is a cloud cover, the environment changes, something from the surface starts to happen.

General view of the large screen during exercise. (Reuters)

Two spinners playing XI

If the surface demands that, then it’s perfectly fine. Both weirdos (Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja) can beat, they have decent partnerships in the past. It is not out of place to play two spinners. However, I am sitting miles away in India. There is a high probability of rain for four to five days. The type of surface being played on will all depend on how much moisture there is on the surface, or whether the sewing machines are effective or whether it is the spinners. Only the players (in England) know that. When it comes to a normal playing field, say at Old Trafford, where you are sure that it will help nuts, the three-two combination (three sailors, two weirdos) has a strong argument.

When and where you can see the WTC finals

Cloudy conditions and weirdos

Over the years I’ve noticed something that nobody talks about. People usually talk about spinners not getting enough support from the field or saying that there is hardly any off-surface purchase. But I believe that spinners in the air can go a long way when the ball is well cared for – if one side is shiny it can give you drift. When an off-spinner is bowling, he can take the ball away from the right-handed player in mid-air, or change the position of the shiny side and try to drift the ball into the batsman – towards the middle and leg. Butt line. You don’t always have to fool someone off the field by getting more momentum or bounce, sometimes you can fool them in the air too. A quality weirdo will think so. It’s not always about the ball spinning, taking the inside edge and going to the short leg and firing the batsman. You can also let the ball float in the air and trap the batsman behind or in your panties. There are many such layoffs, and a skilled weirdo will always be able to do so.

Wind factor

There are times when clouds are covered and there is also wind. These conditions can help nuts too. In case the wind blows from the side to the leg (for a right handed batsman) we can bring a left arm spinner from that end where there is a chance of getting a right handed bowling or LBW.

We can also get an outswing pacer from the other end (here the drift will be from leg to off) or even an off spinner that can make the ball drift away from the right hand. If a left-handed player hits this end, he (the off-spinner) can get around the wicket and levitate the ball in mid-air (into the batsman and turn away) and try to hit the batsman. All of these elements come into play. Wind and atmosphere are important as they also affect the surface.

Indian cricket team players pose for photos prior to the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. (PTI photo)

Beat before and after rain

When it is cloudy but not raining, time is challenging as the ball will not get wet. After the rain, when they are about to start the game, the outfield is still wet. The referees and players don’t mind playing as long as the central field is dry. Everything is fine as long as the ball does not leave the 30 yard circle as it is mostly dry. The moment the ball begins to travel to Deep Square-Leg, Third Man, Fine Leg, and Deep Point, there is a problem for the field team. The ball gets wet and stops moving. It may have a fraction of the seam movement, but the swing stops. This is what batsmen try after rain. You are trying to make sure the ball leaves the 30 yard circle. It is the imbalance of the ball that causes the swing. Because of this, teams try to keep one side dry and one side shiny. The moment the player touches the dry side with the palm of their hand, the moisture is absorbed by the leather. Once that happens, the imbalance is gone. In ODI matches, the first overs in a thaw are critical. Bowlers will start swinging the ball early as swing stops after 8-10 overs as the ball begins to leave the 30 yard circle.