ENG Vs IND, 2018: Weather is Going to Be Critical Factor During the Tests Series - Sachin Tendulkar

Former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar believes the weather will play a crucial role when visiting side India will take on England in the upcoming five-match Test series.

The temperature in England has been hovering around the 30-degree mark at this time of the year. But while it is an unpleasant one for the local mass, it has to be promising one for Virat Kohli and his men.

Typically, cold and wet conditions welcome the visiting teams in England. However, the Indian team would be delighted to see the current conditions which would not make them feel too alienated.

“It’s quite warm here. The weather’s going to be a critical factor (in the Test series),” Tendulkar told The Times of India.

Tendulkar said that warm conditions mean distinct venues would now play a larger role instead of the ball swinging in the air in English conditions.

“Surfaces will decide how active the spinners get if this weather stays,” said Tendulkar.

And the way spinners performed in the limited-overs format, it is pretty much clear that they would make a big impact in the Tests too.

The likes of chinaman Kuldeep Yadav and Adil Rashid made life difficult for the batsmen throughout the series as they got ample help from the surface.

Sachin Tendulkar, meanwhile, is expecting the Indian batsmen to handle English spin better than the other way round.  At the same time, he cautioned the players to keep the last two tours in mind.

“It helps to remember how an earlier experience of the same tour was unpleasant (2014). Yet, what’s also important to remember is that change is the only constant. In a different time, in a different setting, in relatively different conditions and a different set of players, it’s again a new contest. You move on, set yourself a new challenge,” Tendulkar said.

In 2011, India had gone to England as world number one Test side. However, the ranking and reputation made little difference as Andrew Strauss and his company inflicted a humiliating 4-0 whitewash upon the visitors.

Three years later, the margin of the defeat decreased but there was no respite to India’s misery as England thrashed them 3-1 in the Test series.

The legendary batsman Tendulkar also had some word of advice for the players. He suggested the players make a good start and not get bogged down by the previous failures.

“The first basic rule (of an overseas tour): respect conditions. It’s the key. The first morning of the series, that first over, the first spell – that’s always the key. It was the same in South Africa, it’ll be the same in England,” he said.

 

“The question is how do you keep your mind blank? Drawing that balance between knowing what happened when you visited here the last time and at the same time, telling yourself that past is not what’s going to matter right now.

“It’s all about drawing the balance. That’s the tricky thing. You’ve got to know when to fill your mind up with all that you’ve learnt from your previous tour here and then got to know how to keep it (your mind) blank when you’re here again, all fresh,” said Tendulkar.