England's bowlers have a mission: stopping Sachin. In the December issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly, John Buchanan, coach of Australia, explains how it can be done To be at a Test match in India when Sachin Tendulkar is about to bat is one of the great sporting occasions. The stands are crowded to the rooftops as thousands upon thousands of joyously passionate fans radiate the sounds, flavours and smells of this ancient land. With every move he makes - every shot he plays, every delivery he bowls, every ball he fields - the ground rises as one great cacophony. His impact on the game is enormous. His impact on the everyday life of Indians is unparalleled. Tendulkar is a master anywhere but in his own backyard he is magical, mesmerising, machine-like.

Like all batsmen the best time to attack him is early, hitting the deck in the corridor in search of an edge. It is worth bowling him the occasional fuller ball in the hope that he will get caught on the crease as he adjusts to the wicket. And bowlers should certainly not be afraid to high-bounce him: like many Indian batsmen Tendulkar uses a heavier bat, making crossbat shots, especially early in his innings, difficult to play.

Once settled, Tendulkar has the rare ability to hit the ball as it rises to almost any part of the ground. The shot in which he hits the ball on the up through the offside is imperious. Spinners are often used in the hope of stemming the flow - indeed they can be a good option early as he seeks to play them very correctly, waiting for the ball to turn, taking few risks and playing with the spin. But the spinner must be on top of his game, delivering changes of pace, flight and angles, and always looking for topspin. Tendulkar is one of the few Indians prepared to lap and/or sweep the ball, which means a spinner needs to be clear about his strategy and field placings.

Unlike most players, who have standard routines in the way they approach their batting, Tendulkar has different moods - brought on either by circumstances or by his own initiative. When bowling to him, it is important to assess the mood he is in before determining whether attack or defence is the best method. Developing good defensive strategies to reduce the boundary flow is a viable means of attacking a player of Tendulkar's class.

More than any player on either side, Tendulkar will decide the outcome of the series against England. As the Australian team approached the third and deciding Test in Chennai earlier this year, the haunting spectre of Tendulkar hovered over our preparations. In his previous four innings he had not scored a century, and he was dismissed cheaply in both innings of India's historic second Test victory at Eden Gardens. His approach to this first innings of the final Test was precise, clinical and devoid of any shot or action that embraced risk. He moved to his 100 as if by destiny, as if he was the chosen one. He is.

To subscribe to Wisden Cricket Monthly click here.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd