IND vs ENG: Tendulkar shares 'solid defence' advice for attacking Indian batters

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has an invaluable piece of advice for Indian batters as they get ready for the first of five Tests against England in Headingley, Leeds from June 20. Tendulkar, who played 17 Tests in England and scored 1,574 runs at an astonishing average of 54.31 with four ton and eight fifties, wants Indian batters to have a 'solid defence' against the England fast bowlers. Such in the inexperience of Indian batters that England batter Joe Root has more hundreds than entire Indian squad combined. India, under newly appointed skipper Shubman Gill, will be hoping to act on Tendulkar's advice.

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"There are three things which one needs to respect: overhead conditions, the wind, and the pitch," he said as reported by ESPNCricinfo. "I feel something that all batters should think about and consider is a good, solid front-foot defence to a fast bowler. If you can defend well on the front foot to a fast bowler, then the rest of the things will fall into place. It is important to keep your hands close to your body, have a solid front-foot defence. The balls which are meant to be hit are, anyway, going to go ahead because they all are attacking players. But the balls which are not meant to be hit, that is when the hands will go away from the body, and a dismissal could cost the game. So a good, solid defence on the front foot is going to be a key factor."

Tendulkar also has an advice for Gill and said that he should 'shut the doors' and just focus on what is in the interest of the country.

"The outside world can only give opinions. These guys can go out and play as well, and only the dressing room will have that honour. No one else will have that. I would say, just go out, it's a huge honour, enjoy the moment and give your best for the country and do what is in the interest of the country. Other than that, I would say shut the doors to everything. I think that should be his thought process," added the little master.