From Taping the Ball to Tackling Reverse Swing: Sachin Tendulkar Shares His Skills Improvement Techniques

Sachin Tendulkar, widely acclaimed as one of the greatest batters in cricket history, recently revealed his approach to mastering the art of tackling reverse swing. During his illustrious career, Tendulkar faced formidable pacers like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, who were known for their deadly reverse swing. However, the Indian cricket icon was able to outsmart them with his skills and determination. Tendulkar's remarkable career saw him become the leading run-scorer in international cricket, with a record-breaking 100 centuries across all formats. He constantly fine-tuned his technique to adapt to the challenges posed by bowlers from different eras, proving himself as a master of the game.

The Master Blaster revealed how he used to practice with a tennis ball by tapping from one side to polish his skills to face reverse swing.

“During my playing days, I used to tape the ball up from one side. In season (leather) balls, we look for the shiny and the rough side and in the tennis ball, we would apply tape on one side and I used to practice reverse swing to face it in international cricket,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), a T10 cricket tournament, has also brought a new twist in their new season with the introduction of reverse swing with the tennis ball.

'Batter’s technique will be tested in ISPL

Tendulkar, who is a Core Committee Member of ISPL, feels that the introduction of reverse swing will test batters' technique.

“I thought why not introduce it in this format and if this is implemented then the batter’s technique will also be tested,” he said.

“If we are giving some advantage to the batsmen then the bowlers also need to get in the game,” he said.

“The ISPL is about giving a platform to those who may not have had the opportunity to showcase their talent,” he said. “The tournament has brought the joy of the game to new audiences and opened doors for young cricketers across the country. It is my hope that the league continues to grow and make a lasting impact on Indian cricket, giving every player a chance to dream big.”

The ISPL, the nation's first-ever tennis ball T10 cricket tournament played inside a stadium, gears up for its Season 2 which gets underway from January 26th to February 9th, 2025, at Dadoji Konddev Stadium, Thane.

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