Sachin Tendulkar and the grain count myth
If Sachin Tendulkar doesn’t care about narrow grains, then neither should the rest of us…
We’ve been talking a lot about the qualities of willow, and why Grade 1 aesthetics don’t necessarily equate to Grade 1 performance. But if you won’t take out word for it, how about listening to the greatest run-scorer in cricket history, Sachin Tendulkar? The video clip below has been circulating online, and shows a bat being presented to the ‘Little Master’, featuring nine narrow grains. His response? “That does not matter, as my best bats had five or six grains”. He then delivers the ultimate truth about cricket bats: “It is all about the ping.” (Thanks to Mohsin of MA Sports in Pakistan for sharing the video with us.)
Aesthetics vs. performance
As Sachin confirms, the number of grains is secondary. In fact, a wider grain bat (like the 5 or 6 he preferred) indicates the lighter-density willow grew faster and can gain a greater “ping” after knocking in.
The truth about willow features
Grain count simply tells you how fast the tree grew. We have always encouraged buyers to look past aesthetic “flaws”, because they often do affect performance and can even be indicators of strength. Read our recent articles on butterfly stain, speck, or false growth lines.
Performance over premium price
We hear plenty of grumbles about the price of premium cricket bats, and do all we can to ensure the supply of cricket bat willow will always meets demand, and actively campaign against the actions of some in our industry whose aggressive bidding and lack of planting risks driving up prices to unsustainable levels. We are also vocal about how the prices of “Grade 1” bats are largely driven by cosmetic perfection, which Sachin Tendulkar himself confirms does guarantee performance.
In summary, you can achieve top whack without paying top whack. (Apologies for the terrible pun).