Dubai: Sachin Tendulkar, as always, had a simple tip for the trainees of MRF Pace Foundation the other day — hard work.
Speaking to the media during the 28th anniversary celebrations of the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai last week, the Indian batsman said: “If you have to play for India, it is not easy. To stay there for a long time is even tougher. The passion and desire to play for India was so much within me. I was madly in love with cricket and I still am.”
Both Tendulkar and former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath, now Director of coaching at MRF Pace Foundation, said skill, work ethic and attitude are the essential components to realise one’s dream of playing for the country. Tendulkar, who was famously ‘rejected’ by the then coach Dennis Lillee when the Mumbai batsman attended the trials in 1987, visited the foundation and shared his experiences with the wards.
“We always look at the bowlers’ perspective. To make Sachin come here and give a different perspective is something important at young age for our trainees. The time that the boys have spent with Sachin would inspire them and stay motivated to perform and raise the bar. It is something very special,” McGrath said.
McGrath, who was initially hesitant to take over the role from Lillee, picked Tamil Nadu’s Ashwin Christ and Uttar Pradesh pacer Ankit Singh as the most promising ones among the trainees and was confident that the pace foundation will soon begin to supply more fast bowlers to the long list in the Indian team.
Natural style
M. Senthilnathan, head coach of the foundation, said that the academy’s style was to retain the natural style of the bowlers. “We fine-tune the action and emphasise more on the game scenarios to keep the bowlers mentally prepared.”
Christ, who has been representing the state for the past two years, echoed Senthilnathan’s words: “Lillee was technically strong while McGrath’s strength is tactics and game plan and how to be mentally strong and prepare for matches.”
The Australian seamer felt it is a huge advantage for any team to have bowlers with express pace like Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee and felt it is a rare commodity now in world cricket. He also felt that the slow and low-bounce Indian wickets should not deter pacers from plying their trade.
“Back home in Australia, every wicket has different character. I am not worried that Indian wickets are slow — it is fine with me. You got to adapt to the conditions, I love coming here to bowl. It is a challenge for a fast bowler. You can still take wickets as a fast bowler in Indian conditions, you just have to know how to do it,” he concluded.
