Sachin Tendulkar’s expert advice for England batters after Afghan spinners outclass defending champions

Afghanistan’s spin maestros bewildered the English batters in a Monday showdown at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Their outstanding performance orchestrated a stunning upset in the World Cup, leaving the defending champions floundering against the spin trio of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi.

Former Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, renowned for his adeptness against spin bowlers, took to social media to share some valuable advice with the English batters. On his Twitter account, he praised Afghanistan’s all-round effort, especially @RGurbaz_21’s impressive performance, while acknowledging it as a tough day for @ECB cricket. Tendulkar emphasized the need to read spinners from their hand when facing quality spin, a skill he felt the English batters had overlooked, reading the deliveries off the pitch instead. He commended Afghanistan’s energy on the field and congratulated @ACBofficials for their remarkable performance.

Wonderful all-round effort by Afghanistan led by a solid knock from @RGurbaz_21.

Bad day for @ECB_cricket.

Against quality spinners, you have to read them from their hand, which the England batters failed to do. They read them off the pitch instead, which I felt led to their… pic.twitter.com/O4TACfKh21

Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 15, 2023

Throughout the match, the contest between England’s batters and Afghanistan’s spinners provided a captivating spectacle. One particular over, delivered by Mujeeb to Chris Woakes, delighted fans of spin bowling. The off-spinner bowled a stump-to-stump line, masterfully varying his pace on a pitch that offered grip and turn. He artfully mixed in carrom balls and off-breaks, resulting in numerous plays and misses. The over concluded with Mujeeb dislodging Woakes’ stumps as the batter attempted a drive but missed the ball entirely.

Rashid Khan also had a stellar day, securing three crucial wickets. This performance was a stark contrast to his challenging outing against the same opposition during the 2019 World Cup when he conceded 110 runs from nine overs. He found redemption in his brilliant showing on Monday. Seasoned campaigner Mohammad Nabi contributed with a couple of wickets, further bolstering Afghanistan’s triumph on the day.