Go, show your controlled aggression, says Sachin Tendulkar

Do not try anything out of the box. That would be my advice to Team India as it goes into battle today with Australia for a place in the World Cup final.



India are the one team no one wants to play in the tournament. We have produced some very good cricket. Our batting has performed well and so has our bowling. Our running between the wickets and the fielding have been good too. We have played with controlled aggression. Our batting has clicked throughout the tournament.

Which is why Team India should look to repeat the same things that have worked so far for us, at the SCG on Thursday. I don't see any reason to try anything different, unless the situation demands it.

The boys must look to play with a blend of aggression and adrenaline. This is what produces results. They must have `cricketing awareness', which is basically the sense of playing according to the situation of the game. They must have a calmness about them too.

I know all the players in this team. They must be looking to go out and enjoy this game. It is a grand occasion. There will be sledging but I am sure our boys are good at tackling it.

It will be a good, well-fought game which spectators will enjoy. The boys shouldn't worry about who's saying what. The batsmen shouldn't worry about the short ball because they have been doing quite nicely so far. They don't need to change their approach or `break' it.

Four years back, we had a lot of fun while playing against the Aussies in the World Cup at Ahmedabad, in front of our huge band of supporters. I am sure this team too is looking forward to this semifinal.





The entire nation is looking forward to this match. I won't be there in Sydney today, but I will go to watch the final at Melbourne. I am sure Dhoni's boys know how to bowl to Glenn Maxwell and the other Aussie batters. They have played enough games with and against them in the IPL.

Though he was out of touch going into the tour nament, I did feel that Shikhar Dha wan would do well in the World Cup because once he gets going, it spells trouble for the opposition. The shots he plays are conducive for the Aussie wickets. He just needed to be patient.

They had a tough series be fore the World Cup, but I always believed our bowlers could do better, and I could sense this with the way they started off in the f tournament.

After the first three overs in the first game against Pakistan, I had a very good feel f ing about our bowlers, which I shared with my friends. I noticed a spring in their feet. They were running in beautifully and bowling well. There was aggression in them.