Sachin Tendulkar reveals true story behind inventing famous 'Upper Cut' shot in cricket

While several Indian batsmen have been wary of facing the short-pitched deliveries, Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar used the shorter balls to his advantage and preferred counter-attacking them. Specifically, in overseas matches, bowlers have resorted to pulling back their lengths in an attempt to target Indian batsmen. A similar approach from the South African bowling team resulted in Sachin Tendulkar discovering his most iconic stroke. 

Sachin Tendulkar Upper Cut: Master Blaster reveals secrets of his favorite shot

In a Q&A video shared by the great ex-cricketer on his YouTube channel, he answered what led to him discovering the 'Upper Cut' shot in his career. The 47-year-old stated that it was in the year 2002 when India was playing a Test match against South Africa in Bloemfontein, where he thought of having the shot in his arsenal. South African speedster Makhaya Ntini had the tendency to bowl short and was doing the same to Sachin Tendulkar.

He added that the pitches in South Africa generally offer good bounce. And while players look to get on top of the bounce, there still is a risk of getting caught while trying to hit an offensive shot. This is why he felt a shot like the Upper Cut would reap benefits for him, with there being no fielder at third man in Test matches.

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Tendulkar opined that bowlers would often try bowling a short pitched ball on the off-stump while trying to sneak in a dot ball. However, his ability to bring out the Upper Cut to tackle such deliveries earned him a boundary on a good ball. The tactic disturbed several fast bowlers over the years, according to Tendulkar. The legendary batsman revealed that he did not practice that stroke much, but trusted his instincts while batting. Apart from him, Virender Sehwag also used the shot effectively to counter shorter balls in his career. 

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A look at Sachin Tendulkar stats 

The Mumbai born cricketer is one of the most prolific batsmen in world cricket. He is the leading run-scorer in Tests and One-Day Internationals with 15,921 and 18,426 runs, respectively. Moreover, he also is the first cricketer to score 100 centuries in international cricket. Tendulkar has slammed 51 hundreds in Test matches, while he has 49 ODI centuries. 

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What is Sachin Tendulkar net worth

As per entrepreneur.com,  the Sachin Tendulkar net worth figure is estimated to around ₹1250 crore (i.e. approximately $170 million). The star cricketer's earning comprises of the earning from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for representing the Indian national team for close to 24 years. He is actively involved in various business ventures post-retirement. Over the years, Tendulkar has made investments in Smaaash Entertainment, Smartron mobiles, True Blue, and many more. He has also had brand associations with MRF, Pepsi, Paytm First, Luminous, GM pens, and more. 

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Disclaimer: The aforementioned net worth details are sourced from various websites and media reports. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of the figures.

Image source: AP