James Anderson: Sachin Tendulkar is not my bunny

James Anderson strength has dismissed Sachin Tendulkar but the bowler insist that the Indian batting maestro is not his bunny and that he has no control over him.

Anderson got Tendulkar for the seventh time in Tests when he dismiss him leg before in the second innings of the second Test at Trent Bridge and for the second time in this series.

Only Muttiah Muralitharan has in use his Test wicket more times (eight) and he had 19 matches in which to try, compared to Anderson's eight.

"A lot of people are starting to talk about it, but I genuinely don't think I have anything over him," Anderson was quoted as saying in the Daily Express.

"It is truly nice to keep getting him out although and hopefully it will continue."

Anderson has been doing just that and with rising promptness. Since first taking Tendulkar's wicket in a Test in March 2006 (in Mumbai), he has grown to be a real thorn in the batsman's flesh.

Anderson detached Tendulkar thrice in 2007; at Lord's once and in both innings at The Oval.

He got him again in Mohali in December 2008 and now twice this year. If you include Anderson's clashes with Tendulkar in ODIs, the England paceman has got him another three times (twice in 2007 and in February this year in the World Cup tie in Bangalore) to take his total to 10.

The fast bowler feels his better self belief has made him a better bowler.

"There are still plenty of times like at Trent Bridge earlier in that second innings (Tendulkar made 56), when I felt like I had nowhere to bowl at him. He was beating me for boundary after boundary," Anderson said.

"With all players as good as he is, it is just a question of hanging in there and hoping that you bowl one too well for him."

If Test and ODI records are connected, it is Australian speedster Brett Lee who tops the list of getting Tendulkar, 14 times.

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Anderson expect India repercussion

James Anderson expects a backlash from India after the hosts' believable victory in the first npower Test at Lord's.

The 28-year-old bowled England to a unforgettable 196-run win on Monday, returning five for 65 and secretarial for all three of the tourists' star batsmen in a second-innings total of 261 all out.

He anticipates India will come out fighting when the second Test gets under way at Trent Bridge on Friday.

"When any team gets beaten they usually come back stronger and have more fire in their belly," he said .

"All we can do is focus on our game, get ready well the next couple of days and concentrate on that first hour on Friday."

Anderson has put his first-Test heroics aside and urged England to think only of the second as they look to move closer to their goal of attractive the world's top-ranked Test team.

"It was a great presentation, a great team effort. We did actually well to get the win. But that's gone now," said the Lancashire seamier. "We've got to hit the re-set button and focus on Friday now.

"Each game is dissimilar. We can't rely on what's gone on in the past. It's a different game completely and we've got to just prepare well the next couple of days and with any luck hit the ground running on Friday.

"We've got to try to get better if we can. That's something we've prided ourselves on in the last couple of years - not resting on our laurels but trying to improve and be as good as we possibly can be."

The Lord's achievement put England 1-0 up in a four-match series that will see them leapfrog India as the top side in the world if they win by two matches or more.

On that target, Anderson added: "It's our end goal but we've got to think on each game and play as well as we can in each game and hope that will be the end product."

Like Anderson, India opener Abhinav Mukund was looking forward to Trent Bridge rather than back at Lord's.

"We're all disappointed but there are a lot of good belongings we can take from the previous game," he said.

"It's a four-match series. We'll take the positives and move on to the next game. "Being the world number one team, the India team has conquered a lot of challenges on the way here. We're knowledgeable sufficient. We've come here to take on this challenge."

This Test series is only the second for Mukund, who is playing in place of the wounded Virender Sehwag at the top of the order, and the 21-year-old batsman is relish being concerned.

"To be part of this set-up, anyone who comes in as a new batsman will be trained every day. Even in nets, there are so many people you look up to.

"A pat on the back from someone like Sachin [Tendulkar] does anyone's confidence the world of good.

"I've absolutely well over the last few months and I'm looking forward to keeping improving."

On deputising for 87-Test veteran Sehwag, he added: "its big boots to fill but I want to play my own game.

"I don't want to put back Sehwag. I just want to play how I want to play. If it comes off it's going to help the team."

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