India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday (July 9) showered rich praise on James Anderson, saying the England fast bowler is "one of the best exponents of the reverse swing."
Tendulkar also recalled batting against Anderson and narrated how England’s highest Test wicket-taker deceives the best in the business with his wrist position while bowling an out-swinger.
"What I experienced over a period of time is that he would hold the ball as if he is bowling an out-swinger but at the release point, he would try and bring the ball back in. A number of batters would look at the wrist position and what he has actually done, he has shown you that he is bowling an in-swinger but the imbalance between both sides of the ball will take the ball away from you," Sachin said in a video he posted on his Twitter handle.
"But what he has done, he has got you to commit to play for an out-swinger (early) and the ball, after covering almost 3/4th of the length of the pitch, starts leaving you. That is something which was new to me. Nobody had done that, now I have spotted even Stuart Broad doing that. But Anderson started this long time ago. So I rate him very, very high and he is one of the best exponents of the reverse swing," he added.
The international cricket resumed a couple of days back with the England-West Indies Test series after a lengthy COVID-19 hiatus.
While rain played spoilsport on the opening day in Southampton, West Indies bowled out the hosts for 204 on Day 2. Anderson claimed the wicket of John Campbell in West Indies’ innings as the visitors finished the second day with 57/1 on the board, trailing England in the first innings by 147 runs.
