Apr 05, 2005 02:58 PM
4544 Views
(Updated Apr 05, 2005 10:44 PM)
The season is in full swing with the India-Pakistan tour, and so I guess this is the right time to write about Virender Sehwag.
Sehwag,is one of the most feared batsman in cricket in the world today......Bowlers are beginning to fear the very sight of Sehwag striding up to the crease and blasting them all to kingdom come.Sehwag made his debut in test matches in the Indian tour to south africa immediately after the high profile 'final frontier' series between India and Australia.He marked his debut with a very well made century against SA.This after he had walked in when his team were in a spot of bother....That they went on to lose the match,is another story altogether.....
This man had announced his arrival to test matches in style.He continued good run in tests from there on and was a good and reliable player.But his moment came when he was asked to open the innings in the test series in England in 2002.He took the challenge and has flourished ever since,silencing all critics who said he did not have the technique to survive against the new ball in trying conditions.
He now has centuries in Australia,England,South africa,Pakistan....and all these against good attacks of fast bowling and on good pitches,unlike the flat pitches of India....He is successful to such an instant that the same crictics say that he is the opener which India had been searching for a long time...His sensational knocks include
1.The 106 he made against England in 2002
2.The 195 which he made against Aus in 2003 which was a whirlwind innings,and conjured in a single day
3.The 309 against Pakistan in Multan which was the first Triple century by an Indian and remains the highest score by an Indian and many more.....
In One days,he made his debut against West indies in the Pepsi cup in 1998/99.He did not make much impression in his first few matches but announced his arrival in tremendous style with a century of just 70 odd balls against New Zealand in Sri Lanka.He just carried on from there and when he was promoted to open in the one dayers too,he responded in typical fashion, blazing away most of the times......His memorable knocks include...
1.The 100 against New zealand which was his maiden Hundred.
2.The 126 against England in the Champions trophuy 2002 while chasing 270 odd...
3.The 2 centuries in the New Zealand tour just before the world cup 2003
4.The 108 against Pakistan last Saturday!!!
Sehwag is a wonderful timer of the cricket ball,with minimal foot work and good coordination.He does not care for the reputation of the team or the bowler he is up against and thats what makes him such a fearful batsman in the cricketing circles now...He is a joy to watch when in full flow and its entertainment guarenteed.
He starts his innings mostly in the 4th gear and continues in the same vein through out the innings....and unlike say Afridi, he has a sound defense too,which is what has been helpful in him being consistent too...When he made his debut, he was constantly being compared with Sachin Tendulkar as they both played their shots in a similiar manner and were of the same stature too....
Many commentators also have mistook Sehwag for Sachin and vice versa....But now Sehwag has carved his own niche on the cricket field and is on the way to become one of the all time greats in the modern era....He is also very consistent, particularly, in test match cricket when you consider that he is an attacking opener...he has an average in the high 50's which is truly outstanding...he is I guess next or even equal?? only to Adam Gilchrist, considering that they both play attacking brand of cricket, and also that they are remarkably consistent.
The only downside to Sehwag's batting is that he tends to throw away his wicket after having the bowlers at his mercy....well but it is the way he plays.....
So here is to Sehwag to continue what he is doing so well now for the last few years....and to take India to greater heights in the Cricket circle....Go for it Veeru.....
