Tendulkar warms up for fresh season

Maestro checks into NCA, goes through 3-hour stint

Even as the rest of the country relaxed and rejoiced as India celebrated its 65th anniversary of independence, one man worked on his craft as if it were any other day.

Sachin Tendulkar was at the National Cricket Academy’s training ground here on another hot afternoon, sweating it out for close to three hours as the maestro began his preparations for the two-Test series against New Zealand beginning in Hyderabad from August 23.

The Indian ace arrived in the City from Mumbai in the wee hours of Wednesday, and worked on his batting at the nets in the afternoon.

Having arrived at the academy, the Mumbaikar chose to have a full-length batting session against some quality bowling attack which included India spearhead Zaheer Khan, Karnataka seamer David Mathias and an assortment of local pacers and spinners bowling at full tilt. Tendulkar batted fluently, showing few signs of rustiness.

Focussed on his footwork, follow-through and backlift, Tendulkar scowled after every wrong move he made. He also put NCA batting coach Dinesh Nanavati on alert, asking him to keep a tab on where he was going wrong.

Tendulkar, who is expected to leave for Hyderabad on August 18, ended his opening batting stint nearly an hour after his first hit and took about a five-minute break, when he relaxed and chatted up Zaheer and coaches.

Upon resumption, the former India skipper took throw-downs from NCA coaches’ assistant DVGI Raghavendra, who travelled with the Indian squad to Australia for their last series, for the next twenty minutes.

Following a small interval, Tendulkar concluded his training with another twenty-minute session with Raghavendra, during which he constantly turned around to look at where his bat was coming from and if he was committing to the shot too early. Before walking away, the right-hander wished everyone on India’s independence day.

“Happy Independence Day. This is the 65th anniversary and it’s a momentous occasion for us. Hope we keep progressing.”

Meanwhile, Yuvraj Singh is expected to arrive at the NCA on Friday. The left-hander, who appears to have gained his fitness following a treatment for lung cancer, has been drafted in the Indian T20 squad for the two-match series against the Kiwis and the World T20 next month.