The master batsman Sachin Tendulkar though has been a mentor at the nets to Team India, preferred to be trained by a man who has never played first-class cricket and seemingly has no credentials. It was D.V.G.I. Raghavindraa who was part of the touring teaming, was the man chosen by the batting stalwart to prepare him for the barrage of outswingers he is likely to receive from young gun James Pattinson.

The 27-year-old Raghavindraa, an employee with Bangalore's National Cricket Academy (NCA), has never played a first-class match but is playing a key role in India's quest to win their first Test series on Australian soil. The session at the nets on Monday, did not always go to plan. After a series of deliveries on his pads, Tendulkar put his bat down for several minutes to show Raghavindraa the wrist position required to enable the ball to shape away from the right-hander. But with the new ball and in just two deliveries later, Raghavindraa, unleashing from about three metres in front of the popping crease, sent down an out-swinger, which Tendulkar, after shouldering arms, described as ''''perfect'''' and gave his thumbs up. On another occasion, Tendulkar nodded with approval at one that seamed back. ''''A good ball, but I didn''t play it,'''' Tendulkar said.

The `helper’ as specified by the BCCI, needs no further honors, other than this to be handpicked by the master batsmen, who are legends across the globe.