Wednesday, November 14, 2001 One or two of India's star batsmen are struggling in South Africa. But even great men suffer a bad patch. I regard Sachin as one of the best batsmen in the world, along with Mark Waugh and Inzamam-ul Haq. For talent, Brian Lara is in the top tier as well, but he has lacked consistency in recent years. I wouldn't put Sachin above the others though - it's a close call.

His record speaks for itself but statistics give limited information about a player's qualities. Sachin is in the Viv Richards mode. He loves to attack. If you asked him to block out five overs, I don't think he would be able to do it: he is not a great batsman in the Geoffrey Boycott sense. Sachin sees the ball early, can play all round the wicket, and is a good striker of the ball.

Not much can go wrong when you have that ability, and there is no need to play another way than the way that gets results. We didn't have any particular strategy for Sachin when I was Pakistan coach except bowling a tight line, placing fielders carefully on one side of the wicket, and restricting run-scoring opportunities. Free-scoring players hate nothing more than being bogged down. Beyond that it is up to the fielding captain and coach to pinpoint where batsmen are vulnerable on any particular day and test them in that area.

But even great players can have a bad patch and that's what happened to Sachin on the back of India's dismal tour of Australia in 1999-2000. Pakistan played India in a tournament in Sharjah shortly afterwards and I was honoured when Sachin sought my advice. He was having problems with inswingers and getting bowled more often than he liked to be - or was used to.

You can have problems with one type of delivery during your career, even one that you would normally punish, as was the case with Sachin. You start dwelling on that weakness and you also end up getting out more easily in other ways that you normally wouldn't. Once your confidence is gone, your game goes to pieces, however talented you are.

I suggested to Sachin that the way to get through his bad form was not to completely cut out attacking the incoming delivery, but to put that shot on hold for a while. This stroke might have been one of his strengths but it had turned into a weakness. And if you reveal a weakness to a top bowler that is exactly where he will start probing you. We decided that Sachin would block that delivery rather than trying to score off it, just until his confidence returned. In a bad patch you have to manage as best as you can until it all starts clicking again and your natural style comes back.

As a former player I consider it a duty and a privilege to advise younger players even if they are from an opposing team. I hope I helped Sachin. He is certainly looking good in South Africa.

Javed Miandad, Pakistan's most prolific batsman, was talking to Kamran Abbasi.

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