India Vs South Africa: How Sachin Tendulkar Planned Innings With Rahul Dravid To Tackle Dale Steyn

Former India captain Sachin Tendulkar's duel with South Africa's pace spearhead Dale Steyn during the Cape Town Test during the 2010-11 series is a part of cricketing folklore and the batting legend on Thursday termed the Newlands track as most challenging on which he had played. With the Virat Kohli-led Team India all set to face South Africa in the opening Test of the three-match series on Friday at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, Tendulkar recalled the conversation he had with Rahul Dravid on how to tackle a fiery Steyn during the course of his innings.

"The Cape Town pitch of the 2010-11 was the most challenging track. I remember while fielding, I told Rahul Dravid that this was a proper seaming track. You never felt settled even after scoring runs. You had to play on the rise," said Tendulkar.

Asked about the secret of success for batsmen on challenging tracks, Tendulkar referred to his double-hundred in Sydney, where he was an epitome of patience not hitting a single cover drive till he got to the double-ton.

"The Australian pacers during that innings were bowling straight and into the wicketkeeper's gloves. I told myself, 'Good, you people want to bowl where you want, I would wait and make you bowl, where I want'," he recalled.

"A good batting line-up is the one which makes a bowling unit bowl where they want to. Each wicket has a certain character where you should know which shots to play and which ones not to," he elaborated.

(With PTI inputs)