Sachin Tendulkar turned 50 on Monday (24 April 2023).
Considered by many the best batter of all time in the sport, Sachin was not only good at scoring runs but has always been a keen observer of the game.
In an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Sports Editor K Shriniwas Rao, Tendulkar spoke about the rules of the game and the future of the sport.
In the first part of the interview, Tendulkar shared about his life since his international retirement in 2013.
Excerpts from the interview.
These days, when I watch T20 cricket, I tend to think that these matches – I would love to understand what you think – these matches lack any kind of recollection value. I remember when we were growing up at a time when we would remember matches and for that, it necessarily wouldn’t have to be a ten-wicket haul or big hundred for me to remember a game. Your innings in Auckland, 49-ball 82 for instance against New Zealand, or the last wicket of Moin Khan, I’ll never forget that for the rest of my life that googly. Do you think in T20 cricket the recollection value of the game is not the same as it used to be in cricket? I’m wondering if this generation continues 20 years later, what next?
The T20 format is full of action, if not every ball, every over people are expecting something big to happen, either a big shot or a reverse sweep, a hit over the keeper’s head, something the batters are going to try. Very rarely do we see that two-three overs go about quietly, people are used to that action. So out of those multiple series of actions, how does one remember everything, only the mega moments are going to be remembered.
The other day, Rinku Singh hit five sixes in a row, that’s gonna be remembered. I still remember Carlos Brathwaite hitting four sixes in the last over, so those kinds of things will always be remembered. I feel today’s generation is such that we like to move quickly, they’re a little bit ‘impatient’ – if I may use that word. We want quick results, that is how it is and that is how possibly the format is, it’s a very fast-moving format. There are only those mega moments that are going to be remembered.
Talking about today’s generation and formats, the first thing that comes to my mind is how complicated the sport is becoming, with more and more rules across formats.
It’s only becoming complicated because we continue to change rules, if we have a set of rules and if we stick to those rules, if they’re working well, then it won’t be that complicated. To be fair, we also have three different formats, there are not many sports where you have different formats, I can’t think of anything else, very few if at all. In tennis, you continue to play with the same set of rules, just the number of sets are reduced. But the kind of rules that they play with are the same set of rules, so cricket possibly might be the only sport where there are three different formats and the numbers of balls used varies, the number of overs you play with that particular ball in Test cricket it’s minimum 80 overs, the ODI it’s now become 25, and then, T20. The number of fielders inside the ring, in Tests there is no such restriction. So, cricket is possibly the only sport which is slightly different to any sport.
Sachin Tendulkar interview, part 1: ‘Still don’t feel like I’m 50’
So existing rules changing, and that’s an important point that you made but there are some rules like the umpire’s call for instance when a decision has been referred to the TV umpire, it is because the player is not satisfied with the on-field umpire.
Are you with me in the same boat (laughs)? I fail to understand honestly what they’re thinking. I feel if a ball is hitting any part of the stump, it’s out. That is for both teams, it’s not like for ‘team A’ you’re using technology and for ‘team B’, you’re leaving it to the on-field umpire.
Once we go to the third umpire, it’s a clear-cut indication to me that somebody on the field is unhappy with that decision and doesn’t agree with the decision. That’s why they want to go upstairs, so why come back to the person whom they don’t trust? That’s why they’ve gone up, they’ve taken the risk of challenging his decision and if they don’t get it right they lose their review. So why do we come back again, we don’t need to come back.
Forget about the on-field umpire, with no disrespect, I know before all this happened, there were games where umpires made mistakes and it cost us a game. We are worried about the technology not being full-proof, if the technology is not full-proof, then you don’t have it, and if you want to use it, then trust, we have to trust the technology then.
Right now what’s happening is in the same cup ‘Thoda chai daal do and thoda coffee bhi daal do‘. For me, it doesn’t work.
For example, 50 per cent of the ball touching the stumps. How do you measure 50 per cent of the ball? Like, it could be 49 per cent, will not work.
I really don’t understand. I find that really strange.
Right, one of the things, since we’re talking about rules let’s get a bit deeper here, like, obviously technology is the future. Technology is going to make a lot of difference. Are you comfortable with the fact that a batsman asking for a review for a wide?
It should be there, according to me because this is one format where invariably, I mean if you look at 10 matches, out of 10 at least four to five matches will be kind of a nail-biting finish. Every run matters. So, every decision is going to eventually count.
A no-ball at a crucial time, or a wide ball not given at a crucial time can cost you a game. And for that, I feel we should have that. It is a good thing introduced by IPL and WPL. I think referrals should be there.
Right. The only flip side to that is the time that is being consumed.
I know, it may consume some more time but you will at least go back home thinking that it was a fair decision. It was a correct decision. Otherwise, you would have saved five minutes but 50 per cent of the crowd has gone back home disappointed, feeling that they have been robbed of this victory. Because of some third person’s error. Players were doing their job, and both the teams did their job, but the umpire didn’t do his job and that’s why we lost the game. So that is what 50 per cent of the crowd will be thinking when they go back home. So I feel it is important to have that referral.
And there are other ways to check on time. For instance, do you think technology can be used to counter dew, which obviously is a very, very big menace?
It becomes challenging and I’ve always felt that, if here it might be altering the game a bit too much, that both sides are made to bowl 10-10 overs in the second half of the game and 10 overs in the first half of the game, then both are bowling in wet conditions and both are batting in different conditions.
Okay, so it balances it out?
Haan, but I’ve not given it a thought to be honest. It just came to me right now, so I’ve spoken it.
What do you think of two new balls in ODIs?
Harsh on bowlers, because the ball continues to stay hard, if there is no life in the pitch, then the hard ball becomes difficult for bowlers to do anything with it. And if the pitch is hard, and it is not going to turn, spinners cannot do much about it. There are five fielders in the ring so, the hardball becomes more challenging to bowl with. You know, you can use the pace of a bowler.
Also, I feel reverse swing is not there in this format now. With the new set of rules, they are not actually new, a couple of new balls have been used for quite some time now. So, I haven’t seen much of a reverse swing. I don’t remember a spell where a bowler has come back and picked wickets. That element is missing. The ball continues to, so even if it is the 40th over, the actual ball is only a 20-over-old ball and the ball only starts reversing post 25 overs or so. In certain conditions, it may reverse a bit earlier, but in most of the conditions, 90 per cent of the tracks or 95 per cent of the tracks, the ball is not going to reverse before that. And with the restrictions and hardball going all the way to the end.
And post-COVID rules making it all the more difficult? No saliva on the ball?
Yeah, no saliva on the ball, during that period, the pandemic period, was important. I’m no medical expert again, but the game was played earlier for a hundred years with players applying saliva. So, you know, now that the pandemic is kind of behind us, slowly, slowly we need to get back to how it was played [earlier]. Because if we cannot apply saliva, then how do you shine a ball? Because there are places in the world where you don’t sweat. So, how do you shine the ball then? There needs to be some solution there.
And in that also, there is a difference because saliva will tend to be heavier than sweat, so again there is a difference?
I mean, I would say that the texture is different, slightly different so you know, one would use saliva towards the start of the match, where you know there is not much you need to address on the ball. But, once the ball starts getting old, there is a larger surface area which you need to shine. So, there, you know, saliva, the use of saliva is basically to not increase the weight of the ball, but to keep one side smooth. Shiny and smooth so, because it is smooth, there is less friction compared to the rough side of the ball.
And the other way to reverse the ball is to make one side heavier than the other. And you put a lot of sweat, and you increase the weight, so there is an imbalance in the weight of the ball and the ball goes towards the heavier side. So, those are the methods to do that, but, by stopping players from the use of saliva is like, tomorrow waking up a batter and saying ‘Oh from today, you cannot lift the ball, you have to play along the ground’.
So, so that is like you know, tying one hand and saying ‘Now go out and play’.
Right. In fact, you also suggested in the recent past, that until you know the fear of COVID completely disappears and the use of saliva doesn’t get okay-ed, there could be you know, the patrons of the game could probably have a pre-defined gel or something that can be used.
Yeah, a wax or something, which is agreed by the ICC, MCC and it is legally allowed to both the teams and the umpires would carry that wax, and you get a limited amount of wax for 80 overs. Once you have exhausted that, you cannot get more. So, that is the quota that you have for 80 overs. Something like that. I mean, some solution, where you don’t sweat, how do you shine the ball? Use that.
Right. Quickly touching up on some other rules, non-striker end run outs. And first of all I’m glad that they have finally stopped calling it Mankading.
It is a run-out. Yes of course, it is a run-out. And I feel it is absolutely fair because when a bowler bowls a no-ball, nobody says ‘It is okay, I mean he was trying his best but it happened by mistake’. No, the bowler has to go back and bowl another ball and it is a free-hit. So I feel if a batter leaves the crease and the bowler dismissed him, he is out. Simple.
Do you also agree with the no change of strikes if the batters cross during a catch?
Yeah, I agree with that. I agree with that because if a number 10 is batting and I’ve got a big hitter at the non-striker’s end, I’m just naming Pollard, if Pollard is there at the non-striker’s end, why should Pollard go and face the next ball in spite of a bowler picking a wicket? So that is a good introduction.
Right. And since you also spoke about the need for DRS I’ll just quickly touch up on a thing here for no-balls and wides, it made me think about one thing. The reason why T20 came into focus was because a viewer wasn’t able to dedicate seven, seven and a half hours for a one day game anymore. That consumption time had to be brought down. And that’s why one thought a T20 would suffice because it was a three-hour game. Now, this very T20 stretching to four and a half hours, is that justice enough to what was the model that was designed?
See, the actual playing time for both teams put together is three hours or so. And if a side is not keeping up with the timing and they are lagging behind, then that is where the penalty comes into play and the penalty is there. To have one extra fielder in the ring is very, very harsh. And that is how a penalty should be, it cannot be a soft one. You have to pay a price for that.
Right. Sachin, hasn’t there been a relative decline in batters who could bowl, you know, from your time, you, Viru, Dada, Yuvi, there were so many who could just roll their arm over and it was so effective. Maybe the side-arms are a common sight now, are they finishing this concept of batters who could bowl? I mean, I don’t see batter bowling in the nets also these days, that’s another thing.
You know, I really cannot answer for the current team. I don’t know what’s happening and the injury status or whatever that may be. But, as far as our earlier generation was concerned, our generation, the names that you took we bowled. I mean we enjoyed and I had a lot of fun. I can speak for myself.
And with great results!
That was, you know, it happened, whatever, and the most important thing was I enjoyed bowling. Right from my school days, I did not want to be a spectator there and watch others play. I had to be there in the middle of the action, you know. And I enjoyed playing those mind games with the batter. I enjoy doing those things and we would set fields and, you know, play a mini-match. So those kind of things I enjoyed. I really don’t know, I’m not in a position to answer why these guys are not bowling.
To conclude this wonderful conversation, this is the year of the World Cup. So, we cannot not talk about the format, which is the 50-over World Cup.
There is a World Cup happening every year (Laughs)!
Oh yeah, there is a World Cup now every year. But, again, a 50-over World Cup which is happening this year, there is something that has been on my mind and the fact that it is a format that has in general been in discussion in terms of ‘what is the future of the 50-over format?’. At a time like this, the World Cup in this format is happening in cricket’s biggest market anywhere in the world, which is India. Maybe that’s why the excitement is so huge and so much, you know, but post this World Cup do you think there is a need to sit down and try and understand 50-over format once again from a wholesome, all-round perspective and try and understand where this format needs to go into the future. And your thoughts on the World Cup also.
I hope that happens, because to change the format, there are reasons for that. And I had thought of this a long time ago and I had shared these ideas also earlier. I felt that a coin cannot decide the destiny of that game. Just because you have lost the toss, you cannot be bowling second when there are dewy conditions, bowlers cannot grip the ball and a side batting second, you know, unless, they bat terribly they will not lose. They have to just go and play their normal cricket because the conditions are in their favour. The ball is not going to swing after maybe the first six, seven overs, or four, five overs, literally.
Once the ball gets wet, it is not going to swing, neither will it turn and with five fielders in the ring there is hardly (anything) a bowler can do. And that I feel is a big imbalance between a bat and a ball contest because people come there to watch both. And there should not be a day where there are two bowling machines at both ends and one side has to just out-bat the other side. So, I feel there has to be a fair balance between the bat and the ball and that is the only reason I was suggesting that a side bats first for 25 overs and then the other team comes and bats for 25 overs. And where ever they had stopped in the first half of the game, at 25 overs, the second half of the game they start from there, they don’t start fresh. If they have lost 3 wickets, those three batters are out of the game. The remaining batters will bat in the second half. So, you don’t have 20 wickets, you only have 10 wickets.
And it does a lot of things, it involves support staff, because otherwise what happens is once the game has started, for 50 overs the support staff cannot just keep sending a few messages here and there, stand on the boundary line and tell the bowlers ‘This is what I feel you should do’, but, you cannot bring the whole team together, have a brief meeting for three, four minutes and tell them, ‘Strategy A hasn’t worked, let’s move to strategy B’. And so there will be dynamism. That is missing today. It is becoming too monotonous and even spectators know what is going to happen from over 15 to 35 or in the 40th over, they also know the pattern.
But, by introducing a newer format, sometimes, you know, there is an opening partnership, a couple of right-handers are batting and one guy gets out and your standard left-hander is no. 3 and you are in the 23rd or 24th over, you’d say, ‘Okay, the remaining seven, eight balls I’m not going to send my left-hander because there are a couple of off-spinners bowling. And a proper left-hand batter would also think ‘why should I take an undue risk for just six or seven balls?’
You send No.9, No.10, and say that anyways if at all you get to play five or six balls, treat these balls as those five, six balls and just go and enjoy yourself. That also gives a different dimension to a cricket match. Spectators feel some action is going to happen and then immediately you bring the other side in.
So, there are changes but what it does is, if it’s a rain-interrupted game, then you would have had played the first 25 overs and you would have played those 25 overs differently knowing that second half of the game, there might be rain. So, if there is rain round the corner, you adapt a different approach. So, a lot of strategies will come into play.
I think I have an idea already. I think the patrons of the game need to gather in Bandra once every couple of months to just listen to you ideate and speak what goes on inside that brilliant mind of yours.
Thank you so much, Sachin, for taking the time out and doing this lovely interview with us.
Absolute pleasure.
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