England were the only team to win a Test series on Indian soil in the last decade. The spin duo of Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, along with the magnificent Kevin Pietersen and then skipper Alastair Cook were the architects of England's 2-1 series win in 2012.

Swann, Panesar had claimed 37 wickets between them in that four-Test series and Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar recently provided an insight into their success.

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According to Tendulkar, who featured in that home series, Swann and Panesar's secret of success was largely because of bowling at a quicker pace than usual, something he has not seen Jack Leach do often.

Tendulkar feels Leach, who will lead England’s spin attack in the upcoming Test series in India, is a touch slower and will be more effective only if he can vary his pace on tracks that offer turn.

"That (one in 2012) was a different attack, and Graeme Swann was one of the leading spinners in the world back then. Monty, given the style of bowling, he was not one of those bowlers, who believed in tossing up the ball. He was more of a hit the deck bowler," Tendulkar told PTI on the eve of the first Test between India and England.

"Monty would really bowl fast, so it was completely different and Jack Leach, unlike Monty, I think he is slightly slowish bowler," he further said.

"Whatever I have seen, he bowls at that same pace. So if the wicket is offering turn and considerable help, then varying your pace does matter because then batsmen get much lesser time to react, something that Swann and Monty effectively did with us in 2012," he added.

Tendulkar expects the fast bowlers to play a key role in the series opener at Chepauk.

"I think fast bowlers are going to play a big role here, and more so, reverse swing could be a factor. I believe that the ball will reverse from 15th over to 60th over. When the ball reverses, it skids off the surface and there is less reaction time. From 60-80th over, ball can still reverse but due to its softness, the batsmen find more time to adjust off the surface."

Talking about adjustment, Tendulkar finds it easier to adjust to SG Test from Kookaburra rather than other way around.

"To go back from Kookaburra to SG is a much easier transition than going from SG to Kookaburra. You need some adjustments after playing with kookaburra for so long but I don't see that as a problem," the batting maestro said.

"Adjustment would have been a factor if there was a big break between two series and we are to play a Test match literally with a couple of days of practice, so not a big problem as far as I am concerned."

Sachin Tendulkar also believes that reverse swing will be an important factor in the series, with the England pace attack having enough firepower to exploit that aspect of the game.

"Good upright seam position makes a huge difference when you have to bowl reserve swing and someone like a Jofra Archer, whose seam position is upright, will get the ball to reverse, and James Anderson has always been a good exponent of swing, reverse swing bowling.

"Ben Stokes will also chip in with few important overs, and so will (Stuart) Broad, on the whole their bowling attack is a decent bowling attack, it’s a bowling attack with great experience and couple of youngsters who have just started their career," he said.

(With PTI inputs)