Published: Dec 31, 2015, 12:00 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 31, 2015, 12:00 PM (IST)
After boosting the confidence of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team in a pre-season interaction earlier this year, Sachin Tendulkar yesterday turned his attention to the Mumbai U-16 team, who travel to Bangalore today for the U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy knockouts. The batting legend spent nearly two hours with the boys during a training session at Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA’s) Bandra Kurla Complex Ground yesterday, offering them some advice on how to excel in the competitive junior cricket world. Tendulkar’s son Arjun Tendulkar was part of the U-16 team, but was ruled out of the knockouts due to a back injury. ALSO READ: Arjun Tendulkar to represent Mumbai in Under-16 competition
Arjun yesterday accompanied his father to the ground as he was keen to watch his teammates practice. Tendulkar first watched the boys in the nets and then had one-on-one sessions with the fast bowlers. “He showed them how to grip the ball differently for out-swingers and in-swingers. He also bowled in the nets to explain some of the finer nuances of bowling to the youngsters,” a source told Mid-Day. Tendulkar urged the lads not to be inspired by Twenty20 (T20) cricket. “Sachin asked the boys to stay away from practicing some of the flashy T20 shots. ALSO READ: Sachin Tendulkar’s unique concept to be considered by MCA
He said the boys should concentrate on improving their basics at the moment as they are just beginning to learn the game,” added the source. Replying to query from a youngster on how to build an innings, the batting legend is believed to have said: “Don’t look at the scoreboard. If you ignore your individual score, you will never play a rash shot. Always think about the team. Remember it’s we and not me.”
