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Tendulkar slams critics
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February 26, 2008 13:08 IST

Sachin Tendulkar [Images] has not been in the best of touch in the ongoing CB tri-series, but the master batsman said he is not concerned about "overreaction from too many brains" about his form.

Tendulkar, who has scored 191 runs from eight innings so far, said he is hitting the ball well and his confidence level has not gone down.

"I scored in the 30s twice against Sri Lanka [Images] and 40-odd against Australia. I failed only in the last three innings. It is a case of too may brains working [over my form]," he said after hitting a sizzling 54-ball 63 in India's seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

"I am all right and hitting the ball well. I am confident and the team is confident. The normal tendency is people get carried away because of more expectations. People should not react more than what is necessary," he added.

The convincing victory over Sri Lanka ensures that India face Australia in the best of three finals starting in Sydney on March 2 and Tendulkar emphasised the need for the top order to fire if they have to turn the tables against the world champions.

The top order has been the Achilles' heel for India, largely annulling the fine show by the young bowlers so far in the series.

"We have to ensure that we do not lose early wickets against Australia. Only then we have a chance to beat them.

"We have to plan our strategies for the finals. Brett Lee [Images] has been bowling well, I think we have to work out how to tackle him."

Tendulkar said the team is confident of doing well against the Australians.

"We were down 51 for four [in the last match] and the boys came back fantastically to come closer to the target and score nearly 300."

He was all praise of the young bowlers who have been spot on in the series so far.

"They have doing a good job. Today also, we thought the pitch would do something early in the Lankan innings but it turned out to be an easy wicket. The young pacers bowled at the right areas and bundled them out for a paltry score."

On his "uncharacteristic" dismissal while trying to hit Muttiah Muralitharan inside out, Tendulkar said he played the shot on earlier occasions against the same bowler but was done in this time by the lack of spin in the delivery.

"I picked his [Murali's] doosra. I thought of hitting it inside out over the extra cover. Because of the hardness of the pitch, the ball did not turn much and I holed out," he said.



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