The Hindu : There's a lesson for Tendulkar in Ponting's success

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 30, 2003

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There's a lesson for Tendulkar in Ponting's success

MELBOURNE Dec. 29. Sachin Tendulkar would do well to take a leaf out of Ricky Ponting's book. He should have a chat with Ponting about what it is that he has done to take his game to a new level in recent times. Ponting is in the best form of his career and is on course to becoming the best player in the world in the near future. He has always had a great talent. He has now added a maturity and control that was not evident in the early years of his career.

Despite having played some seriously good innings in those early days there was a vulnerability about him that suggested there was an element of risk that was attached to everything he did. It was exciting to watch but a hint of impetuosity that suggested disaster was waiting in the wings. It looks to me that he has not only worked on his technique but he has also taken control of his thought processes. Over the past year this has brought more certainty to his game. He has been incredibly successful at adding a solid foundation to his game without losing his natural flair. He can only get better from here as he enters the prime of his batting years.

I have been lucky over nearly half a century to observe some of the best players ever to play our great game. Some of them I have seen at extremely close quarters as a player or a commentator. The one thing about the great players is that it seems inevitable that they will play great innings. Occasionally someone plays an innings of quality that seems to come without any prior warning while some only manage a few substantial innings before disappearing without a trace.

Learning the intricacies of batting can take a lifetime. Some batsmen have gone through their Test career without ever really understanding their own batting let alone having an intimate relationship with the nuances of the art. Others have analysed themselves and their batting to the point of paralysis. The very best players have usually understood themselves and the art of batting well enough to have made the most of their talent. Rare individuals such as Don Bradman have relied mainly on their instincts.

While I coached with South Australia I approached Sir Donald to ask if he would speak to our young players about his mental preparation and mental processes. He said that he didn't do any mental preparation and that he did not have any mental processes. I found it hard to believe then as I find it hard to believe today but I did not have the temerity to challenge him then any more than I do now. It is highly probable that the great man just went out and played and just trusted his instincts.

He was so in tune with his instincts that perhaps he never suffered the same doubts and fears as mere mortals. The cricket gods do not distribute a full compliment of skills to everyone. It is hard to imagine that many others could have been so confident of their talents. It would have been fascinating to see how Bradman would have played in the modern era. Especially in the seventies, eighties and nineties when most teams had some exceptional fast bowlers. I wonder if he would have been able to trust his instincts as implicitly then?

Sachin Tendulkar has appeared to me as though he has relied almost entirely on his instincts throughout his illustrious career. This is fine when you are playing well but it can lead to problems when things are not going your way. Anxiety leads to tension and a confused state that causes poor movement. It has been my belief for sometime that a batsman needs to take control of his thought processes if he is to maximise his potential. If you don't take control of what you think about, it leaves room for the destructive thoughts to float to the front of your consciousness.

Maybe Tendulkar had a chat with Ponting after his innings on Sunday because he looked very good during his innings of 44 on Monday. His composure and balance looked as good to me as it has at anytime on this tour. It came as a great surprise when he snicked a delivery from Williams through to Gilchrist. I will not be surprised if Sachin makes a big score in Sydney but I do think he needs to formalise his mental process if he wants to take his batting to an even higher plane for the last phase of his career

India has found in Melbourne that winning a Test is one thing. Backing up to win another is almost harder than winning the first one. Australia may have been complacent or may have under-rated India coming into the Adelaide Test but beware the wounded champion. Australia came out harder at India in this Test and must surely win the match to go into the final Test in Sydney one Test all.

India will need to regroup quickly or they could find the series swiped from their grasp. It will be a test of the mettle of Sourav Ganguly and his men to see if they can rebound from this confidence-sapping loss to spoil Steve Waugh's retirement party.

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There's a lesson for Tendulkar in Ponting's success