Tendulkar hails T20 influence
Sachin Tendulkar credits the impact of Twenty20 cricket as a major reason why teams have chased down large targets in recent Test matches.
New Zealand started the trend by making 317 to beat Bangladesh in Chittagong in October.
India went a step further by overhauling a target of 387 against England in Chennai and South Africa created history by successfully chasing 414 against Australia in Perth in December.
Tendulkar, who struck a century during the chase in Chennai, claimed batsmen were now more positive with their strokeplay.
"Batting in Test matches has changed and this is the direct result of Twenty20 cricket," Tendulkar told The Hindu.
"Batsmen want to get on with the game. They are playing a lot more shots in Test cricket.
Positive
"Being positive is one way of countering the pressures."
Tendulkar also put India's success on the cricket field in the last year down to self belief.
"A team's strength cannot be judged when it is doing well," he added.
"It should be judged in how it comes through a period of struggle. England dominated the Chennai Test for three and a half days. We won the three sessions that mattered. There is strong belief and resilience within this Indian side.
"There has been a shift in the balance of world cricket. The Australians face a difficult period. Along with South Africa, we have played some good cricket and are extremely competitive.
Narrowed
"The gap has narrowed and this is good for the game."
Meanwhile, Tendulkar's team-mate Zaheer Khan said India's 2-0 Test win over Australia in November helped convince other teams that the world's top ranked team were beatable.
Australia followed their defeat in India by going down 2-1 to South Africa, their first series loss on home soil for 16 years.
"We've started it all," Zaheer told CNN-IBN.
"Australia are definitely a good side, but they are beatable. So that's what I think all the teams are believing now and they (Australia) are going to have tough times ahead now."