Tendulkar suggests Ranji games can be played on two different pitches

Sachin Tendulkar has suggested that every Ranji Trophy game be played on two different pitches to prepare a better Test team for overseas assignments.

He also suggested that bilateral Test series could be made more engaging by having back-to-back home-and-away rubbers so that the strength of two teams remains mostly constant but the varying conditions pose a bigger challenge.

"I have thought a lot about neutral venues in Ranji Trophy [which is being tried this season]," Tendulkar said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in Delhi.

"I have a suggestion which can be radical. When we go to places like Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and South Africa, we play with Kookaburra balls which swing early. Think about a young Ranji batsman playing with SG Test ball in India and then facing difficulty overseas.

"Let us have the first innings on a greentop with Kookaburra balls, which would give openers a challenge. Even the bowlers will have something. Our spinners will also learn how to bowl with the Kookaburra on greentops.

"Now let there be a pitch adjacent to the greentop which would be a rank turner. Now the second innings will be played on that track with the SG Test ball which would also help our batsmen play against quality spin bowling. We have been too focussed on playing pace in overseas conditions but we should not forget how to play spin bowling."

Tendulkar felt the use of two different pitches and two different balls would nullify the toss factor.

"A captain would start thinking that winning the toss will give him only 10 percent advantage that is his right to choose first," he said. "But if he chooses to bowl on greentop he should remember that he would need to bat on a turner in the fourth innings."

BCCI president Anurag Thakur was also among the audience.