Sachin Tendulkar says Australia have been adopting a more defensive style after being put under pressure by India.
Legendary India batsman says Aussies more defensive
Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar says Australia have been adopting a more defensive style after being put under pressure recently.
Australia are top of the Test and one-day rankings, and beat India 2-1 in their recent infamous Test tour, although the tourists won the following tri-nation one-day series 2-1 in the final against the Aussies.
India also managed a Test win in Perth and matched the hosts for long periods of a tight series, leading Tendulkar to question Australia's new tactics.
"Australian teams have always been competitive. Probably in 1991, they did not go on the defensive if an Indian batsman played a couple of shots," Tendulkar told The Hindu.
"In the recent series, however, they immediately posted a deep point. This did not happen in 1999 and 2003.
"This was the first time they set a scattered field. This has been the big change."
Centuries
The 34-year-old his centuries in Tests and one-dayers against the Aussies this time around, and said that India held the edge on balance throughout the tour.
"If one looks back at the series, we challenged them more than they did us," he said.
India's success in the one-day series came with a host of youngsters in their side but, despite hopes being sky high for the future, Tendulkar says they need to keep their feet firmly on the ground.
"That is good and in a way bad as well," he said.
"We need to look back and find out how many youngsters have made it to the Indian team as teenagers and have gone on to play for a long time.
"(Teenaged fast bowler) Ishant Sharma had a terrific tour, his future looks very good.
"But it is equally important, not only for him but everyone else, not to get carried away."
