Weapon of Ball Destruction - [[-¤--^ V I R U ^--¤-]]

[Sourav]

Sehwagologists
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[Sourav]

[tscii:c596e1ba1d]Delhi Daredevil - [[-¤--^ V I R U ^--¤-]][/tscii:c596e1ba1d]

[html:c596e1ba1d] http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/100600/100630.jpg [/html:c596e1ba1d]

[Sourav]

Official Site!

http://viruworld.com/

http://twitter.com/sehwagvirender

http://twitter.com/#search?q=sehwagvirender



Virender Sehwag

India

Full name Virender Sehwag
Born October 20, 1978, Delhi
Current age 30 years 56 days
Major teams India, Asia XI, Delhi, Delhi Daredevils, ICC World XI, India Blue, Leicestershire, Rajasthan Cricket Association President's XI
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

http://www.cricketwithballs.com/sehwagology/

http://republiquecricket.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/churchsign1.jpg?w=370&h=370
http://republiquecricket.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/churchsign.jpg?w=370&h=370
http://republiquecricket.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/churchsign21.jpg?w=370&h=370


http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Addictions/entry/why-sehwag-is-the-best


Quotes about SEHWAG by great players......
If he is in the field for more than 10 overs,im sure the bowlers are going to have a tough time"-srikanth
"He is the most unpredictable batsman i have ever seen in my career"-Mcgrath
"Having scored 298 and still hitting a six is something unimaginable"-Waqar younis
"I have to learn from him how to play in the nervous 90's"-Sachin
"No matter how good and experienced you are, he can kill your attitude"-Brett Lee

Virender Sehwag. India's volcano of an opening batsman, the best show in town and most destructive wielder of willow on the planet,


http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/dec/14/cricket-england-india-chennai-test?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

[Sourav]

Batting and fielding averages Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
Tests 65 112 4 5600 319 51.85 7168 78.12 15 18 791 64 50 0
ODIs 196 191 7 6124 130 33.28 6143 99.69 9 33 839 96 76 0
T20Is 9 8 0 172 68 21.50 132 130.30 0 1 19 6 0 0
First-class 127 211 8 10077 319 49.64 29 36 109 0
List A 266 256 12 8077 130 33.10 10 50 100 0
Twenty20 33 32 3 780 94* 26.89 496 157.25 0 5 90 32 4 0

Bowling averages Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10
Tests 65 62 2323 1149 29 5/104 5/118 39.62 2.96 80.1 0 1 0
ODIs 196 125 3871 3413 84 3/25 3/25 40.63 5.29 46.0 0 0 0
T20Is 9 1 6 20 0 - - - 20.00 - 0 0 0
First-class 127 6954 3582 93 5/104 38.51 3.09 74.7 1 0
List A 266 5476 4706 130 4/17 4/17 36.20 5.15 42.1 2 0 0
Twenty20 33 16 252 345 16 3/14 3/14 21.56 8.21 15.7 0 0 0

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/35263.html

[Sourav]

Virender Sehwag has constructed an extraordinary career with a relentless quest, and a genius, for boundary hitting. With minimal footwork but maximum intent, he has piled Test runs at a faster pace than anyone in the history of cricket. Bowlers must always fancy their chances against a batsman who plays so many strokes; it's just that Sehwag fancies his chances against them much more.

As a starry-eyed youngster from Najafgarh, where his family ran a flour mill, Sehwag grew up, like many others from his generation, wanting to be Sachin Tendulkar. Indeed, when he scored his first one-day hundred, filling up for his injured idol against New Zealand in Sri Lanka, he could have been mistaken for him: there was the same back-foot punch on the off side, the minimalistic straight drive and the wristy whip to the leg. And on his Test debut, on a fiery pitch at Bloemfontein, he matched the master stroke for stroke as they both blazed away to hundreds. But soon he emerged his own man, and not long after Tendulkar was playing a supporting, and somewhat calming, hand as Sehwag romped away to a triple hundred, the first by an Indian, in Multan, bringing it up with a six. Two Tests ago, he had been dismissed trying the same stroke five short of what would have been his first Test double hundred.

His uncomplicated approach - batting is all about scoring as many runs as quickly as possible - belies a sharp and street-smart cricket mind. He has a keen grasp of his own, and his opponents', strengths and weaknesses and exploits them in a forensic manner. What appears risky to many, is merely an opportunity for him, and his lack of footwork, which does get him in trouble against the moving ball, is mostly an advantage, for it creates space for his brilliant handwork. Few batsmen have hit the ball harder square on the offside, and fewer still have hit them as frequently. And the sight of a spinner brings the savage out in him: and for many spectacular assaults against the world's leading spinners, there have numerous outrageous dismissals against the not-so-reputed ones.

The most remarkable aspect of Sehwag's career of course has been his ability to build massive Test scores at breathtaking speed. He holds the Indian record for highest number the Test double hundreds, and came within seven runs of joining Don Bradman in scoring three triple hundreds. That innings, against Sri Lanka at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, epitomised the Sehwag brand of batsmanship: a mix of imagination, daring, power, skills, and clarity of vision.

He is equally refreshing off the field and shares his views on the game in an endearingly direct and candid manner, a rare trait among contemporary cricketers. He is, in every sense, a true original.




Profile

Virender Sehwag is a primal talent whose rough edges make him all the more appealing. By the time he had scored his first centuries in one-day cricket (off 70 balls, against New Zealand) and Test cricket (on debut, against South Africa, from 68 for 4), he was already eliciting comparisons with his idol Sachin Tendulkar. It is half true. Like Tendulkar, he is short and square with curly hair, plays the straight drive, backfoot punch and whip off the hips identically, but leaves Tendulkar in the shade when it comes to audacity.

Asked to open the innings in Tests on the tour of England in 2002, Sehwag proved an instant hit, cracking an 80 and a 100 in the first two matches. Regularly thereafter, he kept conjuring pivotal innings at the top of the order, none as significant as India's first 300 (which he bought up, characteristically, with a six), at Multan against Pakistan in early 2004.

Sehwag bowls effective, loopy offspin, and is a reliable catcher in the slips. He also once almost split the cricket world: when he was banned for a match by the ICC referee Mike Denness on grounds of excessive appealing, the Indian board wasn't prepared to listen, and even played an unofficial Test with South Africa to prove a point. When a compromise was finally reached, Sehwag was back to his merry ways.

Though he continued to dominate in the Test arena, Sehwag's one-day form dipped alarmingly - after January 2004, he went through a period of 60 matches where he averaged under 29. Despite his fitness levels dropping and his one-day spot being under threat - he was dropped from the side for the home series against West Indies in early 2007 - Sehwag continued to sparkle in Tests, as shown by his magnificent 254 at Lahore. In June, he came excruciatingly close to scoring a century before lunch in the first day against West Indies in St Lucia, a feat never accomplished before by an Indian batsman.

After a string of poor scores, Sehwag was dropped from India's Test squad to Bangladesh in 2007, and was not considered for either the Test or ODI sides to England. He was a surprise pick for the Test team to tour Australia after not being named in the initial list of probables.

Sehwag had to wait for two matches before he made a strong comeback in the Perth Test, where he gave the innings' momentum with knocks of 29 and 43, and took two wickets with his offspin in Australia's second innings, to help India claim one of their greatest wins. He followed it up with scores of 63 and an imperious 151 - his first century in the team's second innings - to help India draw the Test in Adelaide. Then, in the first Test against South Africa in Chennai, he made an even more emphatic statement, rattling off the quickest triple-century in Test cricket, off just 278 balls. He eventually made 319 - the highest score by an Indian - and in the process became only the third batsman, after Don Bradman and Brian Lara, to pass 300 twice in Tests. In his next Test series against Sri Lanka in 2008, Sehwag thrived while the Indian middle-order struggled against the mystery spin of Ajantha Mendis. His double-hundred and half-century were instrumental in India winning the Galle Test.

Cricinfo Staff (October 1, 2008)

[Sourav]

Sehwag is the leading run-getter in 2008
UNI
Monday, December 15th, 2008 AT 12:12 PM
Tags: sehwag, sachin, graeme smith, gavaskar, vvs laxman
Close...
Test

Virender Sehwag plays a shot during Day 4 of Chennai Test, against England, on Sunday



CHENNAI: Dashing Indian Opener Virender Sehwag, who has set up a possible Indian victory in the first test against England with his aggressive innings on Sunday evening, has, so far, emerged as the leading run scorer among the cricketers in the world for 2008.

The swashbuckling cricketer, who smashed a 68-ball 83, has so far scored 1,445 runs in 2008, ahead of South African Skipper Greame Smith's 1,363 runs.

Sehwag has played 25 innings in 13 matches in the year, hitting three centuries and six 50s with 319 against South Africa, the second triple hundred for the Najafgarh-born cricketer, being the highest.

With the second test against England coming up in the next four days time, Sehwag can further improve on his performance.

Smith, too, can catch up with the Indian as the Proteas are to play their first test against Australia from Thursday.

Behind him was Greame Smith, (1,363 runs, 13 matches, 21 innings, five hundreds and four 50s), India's V V S Laxman (1045 runs, 14 matches, 24 innings, two hundreds, seven 50s), H M Amla of South Africa (1012, 13 matches, 20 innings, three hundreds, five 50s) and Neil Mckenzie of South Africa (102, 12 matches, 19 innings, three hundreds and two 50s).

This was the 17th occasion that an Indian cricketer has scored more than 1,000 runs in a calendar year.

Master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar and former skipper Sunil Gavaskar have achieved it four times each, Rahul Dravid and Sehwag twice and Gundappa Viswanath, Sourav Ganguly, Mohinder Amarnath, V V S Laxman and Dilip Vengsarkar once each.

Following is the list: Sehwag (2008) 1445 runs S M Gavaskar (1979) 1,407 runs Sachin Tendulkar (2002) 1,392 runs G R Viswanath (1979) 1,388 runs Rahul Dravid (2002) 1,357 runs S M Gavaskar (1983) 1,310 runs Sehwag (2004) 1141 runs, Saurav Ganguly (2007) 1106 runs S M Gavaskar (1978) 1099 runs Rahul Dravid (2006) 1095 runs Sachin Tendulkar (1999) 1088 runs Mohinder Amarnath, (1983) 1077 runs V V S Laxman (2008) 1045 runs Dilip Vengsarkar, (1979) 1044 runs SM Gavaskar (1976) 1024 runs Sachin Tendulkar (2001) 1003 runs Sachin Tendulkar (1997) 1000 runs

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/2008/12/15123616/Sehwag-is-the-leading-rungett.html

[Sourav]

Counts to nearly 2300 runs in 11 matches :shock: :clap:

Sehwag's last eleven Test centuries, just to reiterate, were breakneck knocks of 195, 309, 155, 164, 173, 201, 254, 180, 151, 319 and 201 not out. To saw him off for a mere 83, in the circumstances, was a pyrrhic victory.

:o

http://content-eap.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/current/story/382122.html

[Sourav]

[tscii:39eb59bd20]
Sehwag, a genuine match-winner

When Sehwag gets going, it is almost like watching Richards, writes

L. Sivaramakrishnan

Almost a year ago, when India toured Australia, Virender Sehwag did not even get to play the first two Test matches. Eventually, he did play the last two matches and he went on to score a century at Adelaide. That seemed to be the turning point for this young man.

Since then 2008 has been a bonanza of runs. When Sehwag gets going, it is almost like watching Viv Richards of the yesteryear.

There is utter disregard for the bowlers and the disdain with which he dispatches the ball is a sight to behold.

When Sehwag hit Paul Collingwood for two consecutive sixes, the bowler confessed later that he was very worried that all the six balls that he bowled would meet the same fate. That is the kind of fear that Sehwag instils in the opposition.

Viru too was very forthright in his opinion. “The bowler might be good” he agreed “but there are always bad balls waiting to be put away.” And when he sees these balls, God forbid anyone standing in the way.

Sehwag is the kind of batsman who wins you matches. His partnership with Sachin Tendulkar at Cuttack made the English target look very ordinary. The blistering attack left the English bowlers floundering.

Kevin Pietersen had to use all his best bowlers to try and contain the carnage. None of it had any effect on Shewag who went on to score a dazzling 91 and Pietersen was left with few bowling choices towards the end.
Uncomplicated

Like his game, Shewag’s view point is uncomplicated. He says things as he sees it.

He does not believe in turning away in the face of opposition. Instead, his policy has always been to take ‘arms against the sea of trouble, and by opposing, end them.’

His interviews stand testimony to this. I once asked him before an interview if there was something in particular that he would like to discuss. He just shook his head and told me “Ask what you wish and I will just answer them the best I can.”

In Bangalore, one could see him at the boundary with the crowds, whistling and cheering his teammates on. Obviously here was a man who was enjoying himself and his game. Contrary to what most people might think, he feels no pressure of vice-captaincy.
Deadly combination

It is this deadly combination of self-belief and the ability to enjoy what he does that tears the opposition apart.

He has a fantastic hand-eye co-ordination. While he earlier was most comfortable with an outside the off-stump line, he is now able to play a middle and off line with equal ease.

As a bowler all you can hope to do, is persist and wait for him to make a mistake.

The problem with a batsman like Sehwag though, is that if he does not make a mistake for an hour, then the game is already out of your hands.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/28/stories/2008112852751800.htm[/tscii:39eb59bd20]

[steveaustin]

He is a true match winner on his own... :notworthy: :notworthy:

Pitch never matters....
Opponents never matter...
Bowlers never matter...

True champion

:redjump: :bluejump:

[Sourav]

http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/15/stories/2008121559271900.htm

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/sehwags-game-uncomplicated-lauds-gavaskar/36622-13.html

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/sehwags-game-uncomplicated-lauds-gavaskar/36622-13.html

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/sehwags-game-uncomplicated-lauds-gavaskar/36622-13.html

[steveaustin]

[tscii:a40128e79e]Sehwag - Mature and perhaps more dangerous now: The Times of India

Statistics do not begin to describe the effects of the primal fury of Sehwag's batting. But his career graph has been more enigmatic than effective. Coaches have struggled to put a finger on his style, but that's their problem. Perhaps unfairly, Sehwag has also often been accused of lacking perspective.

All that is now set to change. A dull and meaningless Test was lit up as Viru, for seven hours, made the format of the game irrelevant. As Rahul Dravid said, "Sehwag played over 360 degrees", executing all the shots in the book, and some not in the book.

So successfully did he combat Harris' negative line that the bowler soon switched to bowling round the wicket. Perhaps he just found it too humiliating to be repeatedly dispatched to the fence by a Sehwag batting left-handed, for all practical purposes.

True to his character, Sehwag tried to bring up his hundred with a six, but the ball dropped short. He lofted Makhaya Ntini again when on 193 and hit a six again when on 291. Which other frontline batsman would have the courage to lash two fours and a six in the last over before tea?

Twice now, he has gone where no other Indian batting legend has dared to tread — the 300-run club — putting him at par with the likes of Brian Lara and Don Bradman, the only others with two scores of 300 or more in Tests.

Playing only his third Test since making a comeback on the tour of Australia, Sehwag has not quite got the respect he deserves before this, although his match-winning prowess has been praised by many. His career has blown hot and cold over the past two years, and questions over his form, fitness and commitment gradually shifted the focus away from his rare eye-body coordination, his skilled strokeplay and his improvised ease against quality attacks.

The signs were there in the last Test at Adelaide that Sehwag had matured into an adaptable plunderer when he saved a Test match. Sehwag is now leaner, meaner, fit enough to brave the Chennai heat for more than seven hours, run the singles hard without flinching once, or showing signs of cramping. As a batsman who has revelled in all conditions and was eager to state his case, Chennai was a nightmare waiting to happen for Graeme Smith's men. The barrage of boundaries left them bereft of ideas.

From being captaincy material to vice-captain to losing his place in both Tests and ODIs to regaining his spot in Australia, Friday's knock, the definitive stamp of his creative genius, brings Viru's career full circle. And now questions are being raised — is he among the all-time batting greats? Well, perhaps he is.

http://www.zeenews.com/Newspapers/2008-03-29/433295news.html[/tscii:a40128e79e]

[steveaustin]

CRICKET CORNER -- Bob Simpson Column

Sehwag - the plus & the minus points

IS he as good as Sachin? This is probably the most asked question of me since I have been in India. The 'He', is of course Virender Sehwag and the question to me is irrelevant and not in the best interest of Virender.

In Australia it has almost been the kiss of death for youngsters to be labelled another Bradman. It has been a cross which has destroyed many talented youngsters and it is equally as dangerous to compare Indian batsmen with Tendulkar. It is particularly tough on batsmen such as Sehwag who is comparatively new to Indian cricket.

Obviously, he is an exciting youngster whose exhilarating style has caught the imagination of the public. But, can this uninhibited approach allow him to maintain the consistency that is necessary to carve out a long career at the highest level? Make no mistake about it, every bowler in world cricket will be analysing this question and what he can do about it.

That is the way of bowlers and it has been going on since the game evolved. These days it is much easier with cable television, videos and the technical gadgets which allow you to analyse an opponent better than ever before.

Even now bowlers throughout the world will be exchanging mails with their thoughts on how to stop the flow of runs from this new wonder. It is nothing new and the bowlers' grapevine is one of the most efficient gatherer of information in the world.

This is why the general consensus of opinion is, never evaluate the future of batsmen in their first year. Bowlers haven't had the time to evaluate and work out tactics in the first year and it is now accepted that the second season is the most important one for young batsmen.

For, it is then bowlers will have assessed the strengths and weaknesses of this new young threat and formed a strategy as to how to nullify the strengths and take advantage of his weaknesses.

What will this initial appraisal reveal?

Obviously, Sehwag has great natural ability with wonderful timing and a penchant to play square of the wicket on the off-side. He is a beautiful striker of the ball on the off and loves to be aggressive.

These are the positive points but where is he vulnerable?

Firstly, because he likes to hit the ball square on the off he likes to give himself room and against the quicks too often plays back in the line of leg stump. This means he can be tied up with well directed deliveries on middle and leg.

Also, from this position his strength can also be his weakness if the bowler bowls a correct length and moves the ball towards the slips.

Any batsman like Sehwag who hits so many balls behind point both from the back and front foot must open the face of the bat and thus give the bowler a chance with the ball that moves away.

In addition, Sehwag's movement towards leg stump must make him more vulnerable to the short-pitched delivery. He hasn't been worked over in this area as yet, but I am sure on the quicker wickets of South Africa the quicks will give his ribs a working over. He prospered against the Windies spinners in Mumbai where they gave him plenty of room to hit the ball in his favourite area.

Shane Warne and company will have noted this and will bowl a middle and leg line and probably drop mid-off deep. They will block this area, for Sehwag always tries to loft the ball when he is restricted by the spinners.

Such a line will force Sehwag to play more to the leg, an area which is not his favourite and may lead him to hit dangerously across the line.

All this sounds simple, doesn't it? How will Sehwag react to all this and will the bowlers be able to bowl to such a plan knowing that to err and stray outside the off will play to Sehwag's strength?

Personally, I think he will have to tighten up his technique and ball selection. At present he is playing incredible shots to balls not suitable to the stroke and which contain a very high level of danger.

He won't always get away with slicing just short of a driving length balls through point with half a blade. And on quicker wickets these strokes will easily lead to catches behind the wicket.

As I re-read this assessment, I can't help but think I would have said the same things about South Africa's great left-hander Graeme Pollock.

Pollock made the small changes necessary and became one of the finest batsmen ever.

I will be fascinated to watch Virender's progress in the next 12 months.

Sometimes I wonder whether English cricket can see the wood for the trees. Their captain Nasser Hussain's recent quote backs this feeling up.

His latest gem is, "There are field settings and tactics you can beat Australia with. It's up to me and the coach to work that out as soon as possible." Talk about putting the horse before the cart.

With any theory or tactic you should have the bowlers to back them up. I don't think they have such bowlers. I wonder whether the computer which English cricket is so fond of these days or a PR Man is writing Nasser's script.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/tss/tss2544/25440260.htm

[Anban]

After Viv Richards, its Sehwag :clap:

[Sourav]

[tscii:d26c8333f4]
After Viv Richards, its Sehwag :clap:

Few better match-winners than Sehwag, says Kapil
- Viv the only other batsman with same approach: World Cup-winning captain

Calcutta: Kapil Dev’s sixes-record, for India in Tests, has gone for a six. He’s far from disappointed, though.

“A record is meant to be re-written and I’m happy that somebody as devastating as (Virender) Sehwag has broken mine... In fact, till people began talking about it, I didn’t even know the old one was in my name,” India’s lone World Cup-winning captain told The Telegraph.

Speaking on Monday, the day after Sehwag smashed past 61 sixes, stopping at No. 64, Kapil added: “The only other batsman with the same approach that I can think of is Viv (Richards)... Sachin Tendulkar has changed his game, he’s more cautious now... (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni has done much the same... Sehwag, on the other hand, is more aggressive than before.”

Laughing, he quipped: “I’d been expecting Sachin or Sourav Ganguly to hold the sixes-record... Had he not changed his game, Sachin’s tally would surely have been 100-plus (instead of 47)... Sourav too could hit big and very clean.”

Besides a great hand-eye co-ordination, Sehwag’s bindaas approach makes the difference. “It’s his intent which is special... He’s not bound by circumstances... How many have got to 300 with a six (in Multan, early 2004)? But, then, that’s Sehwag,” lauded Kapil.

Reflecting on the Chennai Test, won dramatically by Team India, he said: “When the chase began, I didn’t give Dhoni and Co. more than a 10 per cent chance... (MoM) Sehwag, however, changed everything... It’s almost unreal that somebody can change the course of a match within 68 balls... What an innings of 83! Our chance of winning, in my opinion, straightaway jumped to 60 per cent... Yes, there have been greater batsmen than Sehwag, but few better match-winners...”

Kapil signed off by saying: “Irrespective of what else he achieves, Sehwag will be remembered for giving the position of an opener such a new dimension... He has, single-handedly, changed the rules of the game and his place in history seems assured.”

Indeed, and as Kevin Pietersen has learnt, it doesn’t pay to underestimate an opposition which has Sehwag in the XI.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081216/jsp/sports/story_10258509.jsp[/tscii:d26c8333f4]

[Sourav]

[tscii:225fcee6a6]MAN OF THE MATCH
Virender Sehwag


There must have been very few times when a batsman — Andrew Strauss — who scored hundreds in both innings of a Test gets ignored for the Man of the Match award; when Sachin Tendulkar scored a hundred and yet doesn’t bag the prize. But such was the impact of Virender Sehwag’s entertaining 83 on the fate of this game that it you just coudn’t but admit that this, indeed, was the defining moment of the game. As skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni rightly said after the match, till Viru’s 68-ball blitzkerig, India were only defending in this game. Thanks to that wonderful knock, the hosts were always looking at victory on the final day. Incidentally, [/tscii:225fcee6a6]

[Kalyasi]

arumai arumai!!

[Sourav]

pic enabled in first post.... :boo: :boo:

:ty: NOV...

[littlemaster1982]

pic enabled in first post.... :boo: :boo:

:ty: NOV...

:notthatway: It's PR :P

[Sourav]

Illa LM... naan than NOV kitta cc-la solli enable panna sonnen.... check cc...:P

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/12/17/Article//015/17_12_2008_015_011.jpg

[NOV]

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[NOV]

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[Sourav]

Most runs in a calendar year-
http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/284248.html

[sgokulprathap]

Smith is leading Sehwag by around 75 runs this year. With SA has another full test to play this year, Sehwag has only one innings.
So Smith may end up as leading run scorer for 2008.

[thamizhvaanan]

[tscii:f4f142cdd3]Hit And Run Guy
Exiling the rulebook, Sehwag imported the typhoon's ferocity on to the placid waters of Test opening
Rohit Mahajan on Virender Sehwag


There are tales, and then there are tales, one more incredible than the other, about Virender Sehwag.
Shane Warne narrates a delectable one in his recent book. Playing for Leicestershire against Middlesex, Sehwag found Abdul Razzaq reverse-swinging the ball alarmingly. He called his batting partner Jeremy Snape over and said he had a plan. "We must lose this ball," Sehwag said matter-of-factly. Next over, Viru smashed the ball clean out of the ground. The ball was lost. The replacement ball would, obviously, not reverse right away. "We're all right for one hour," he told the non-striker, who told Warne. Mission accomplished.

Just what sort of mind could think up something as simply ingenious as this and actually manage to implement it without a Plan B? Perhaps the only one who approaches the gentleman's game with the hunter's instinct blended with the credo of aristocratic leisure—pleasure, pure and simple, married to purpose. Perhaps only the Nawab of Najafgarh, whose ruggedly simple approach hides a razor-sharp cricketing mind. Little wonder, after India won the Chennai Test against England on the back of an electric 83 from him, Mahendra Singh Dhoni said: "Of course, Sachin and Yuvraj batted really well to finish off the match. But they were able to do that because of the start given by Sehwag. Without him, we would have been defending the match."

Welcome to a distinctive ethos of cricket that is gaining fans with every cut, drive and loft. It is called Sehwagism. It means that its practitioner takes the rule book, tears it up, and traduces every principle. Implicit in this credo is the greatest possible belief in your own abilities, and none for your foe's record or reputation. It involves making choices and sticking to them. It means not allowing kindness to trespass between you and the bowler.

In a sport governed by laws, Sehwag has made it legal to think the unthinkable. If the ball is on the stumps or at good length, he'll defend or drive. If it's up, he'll whack. If it's short and wide outside off, he'll attempt to pound it to cover or third man. If it's short and on the wicket, he'll try to send it soaring over the midwicket boundary.

And Sehwag will employ the said method in whatever format of the game he chances to be playing in—Tests, one-dayers, or Twenty20. Against anybody, anywhere. Wearing pitch on the fourth day? No problem. Facing the new ball? No thought of curtailment. Shadows lengthening? Nothing darkens his mind. He'll farm all of the wide, unhindered swathe he has scythed for himself.

Generations of fans and followers have been brought up on the old mantra of opening batsman. Of respectfully playing in the 'V'. Of not hitting in the air. Of giving the first hour to the bowler and taking the remaining five. Of taking the shine off. Sehwag begs to differ, in a manner that leaves most coaches cringe in insecurity.

That's why he perishes at 195, attempting a six; that's also why he reaches a triple century with a six. A man who doesn't play with tomorrow's newspaper layouts in mind is a man to be admired, and feared.

Coaches say you can't defy the tenets of the game. That if you do, you will perish, that you will be sorted out. Yet, Sehwag presents a strange conundrum. "Primitive" technique, yet such big scores, and two triple centuries in Test cricket! He gives us thrillers, but not cameos. He's a master of the long-playing thriller. He's got the only triple-century to be scored at over a run a ball, and three of the seven fastest double centuries are owned by him.

There are other openers around who murder bowlers, but Sehwag's figures tell a different tale.Matthew Hayden? Sehwag gets 19 more runs than Hayden does every 100 balls. Graeme Smith? Mind the gap (see United Racers Of Cricket).

So, has Sehwag rewritten the grammar that governed generations of Test openers? Viru is post-modernist, post-Wren & Martin. But simple, not complex. Deeds, not words. "I believe in performance, not technique," he says.

Sehwag's game, with its casual indifference to his own fate or that of bowlers, harks back to the days when he was really young, when he must have played only for joy. Ten years after he made his international debut, Sehwag's game remains soaked in sunlit youth, and that imparts beauty to its nonchalance.
[/tscii:f4f142cdd3]

[Sourav]

The school where Virender Sehwag learned the game

A remarkable attacking player was fashioned on a patch of grey soil and scruffy grass at a poor school in west Delhi

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article5380346.ece

BLOCK G in Vikaspuri, west Delhi, is not easy to find. The streets are dusty, cramped and chaotic, an immigrant enclave and a far cry from the centre where Westerners in luxury hotels get the impression of the city as verdant, spacious and ordered. But here is the true India and the creative soul of a unique talent in cricket. Block G is home to the Vikaspuri government boys senior secondary school, where Virender Sehwag learned to play the game. It is a modest place, and receives funding from the lower strata of society, but like many state schools in India it is proud of its sport. Its cricket ground takes up as much space as the school buildings and playground. Within feet of the thunderous traffic are four nets and a small pavilion which has painted on the front a smiling cricketer. It ought to be Sehwag but looks more like his hero Sachin. Amazingly, Sehwag still comes here to practice when he’s at home in Najafgarh, the suburb where he grew up a half-hour’s jostling scooter ride away, which was how he was taken to school. Sehwag says that last year, while India toured England without him, he came here regularly to bat against bowlers he had commandeered from Delhi’s Ranji Trophy team, including the 20-year-old Ishant Sharma.

On this patch of grey soil and scruffy grass a remarkable player was fashioned, the most attacking opening batsman the game has seen. His back foot was tied to the net to discourage him from skipping down the pitch and a bag of mud strapped to the back of his bat to enhance the power of his shots. Sehwag’s bats today bear testimony to this regime, the edges of those he uses for one-day cricket are an inch thick.

His father Krishan remained sceptical. He knew the odds of his son making the big time were fantastically long, he feared he might neglect his studies - and he was most unhappy to be presented with a large dental bill one day after his son had been struck by a ball. But he still acquiesced when AN Sharma, the school coach, asked the family to put the third of their four children on a special diet to improve his strength. In wealthier schools across Delhi, legions of conventional batsmen were being produced. One of them was Aakash Chopra, who often came up against Sehwag in schools matches before playing with him for Delhi and, eventually, India. “Things are changing now thanks to Twenty20 but back then most boys were taught to play conventionally,” he recalled. “The only way to succeed was to score big runs in junior cricket and we believed that to do that we had to bat six, seven, eight hours with patience and a good technique, and play each ball on its merits. When you hit the ball through the covers, it must go along the ground, not in the air. But Viru was different. He had the talent, coordination and strength to hit the ball out of the park. He was a middle-order batsman who was extremely confident playing spin bowling but quite restricted against the quicks. He was not particularly comfortable against them. He was strong but never athletic. I didn’t think he would make it."

Sharma confirmed that he did not seek to steer Sehwag away from his attacking instincts. “I never encouraged him to play defensively. I told him, ‘Keep your bat and pads together but hit it, don’t kiss it."

Early impressions were of a talented chancer. A quarter of Sehwag’s dismissals were due to run-outs or stumpings — the tethered foot only worked up to a point — and he had missed out on India’s provisional squad for the Under-19 World Cup until Sharma lobbied for him to be given a trial. Owais Shah and Graeme Swann, who faced him for England in that tournament, have no recollection of how he played.

A few months later, though, in his first first-class innings, Sehwag hit 118 from 147 balls against a Haryana attack containing three spinners on what Chopra recalled was a rank turner. “I remember thinking that if this was the way he was going to play, it was going to be pretty special.”

Sehwag’s great gift after his talent was his capacity for hard work. Over the next two years he improved dramatically against fast bowling, to the point where in a zonal match at Mohali in early 2001 he blazed his way to 162 from 190 balls in seaming conditions. Even Zaheer Khan was unable to stop him running amok; he was still hitting boundaries even with nine men on the rope. It was an outrageous display.

Later that year he scored a century on Test debut against South Africa and nine months after that was opening the innings for India for the first time during a tour of England. He scored 84 at Lord’s, 105 at Trent Bridge and has since never really batted out of the top two. But he needed some convincing that this was the best place for him to bat. Sharma says Sehwag argued for 30 minutes before giving in.

Some astonishing tours de force have followed. He has broken several fast-scoring records and is the only India batsman to score a triple-century, something he has done twice. But the risks are high. He was dropped from the team last year and, for all his match-turning heroics in Chennai, it has been 14 innings since his last hundred. But what an innings that was, an unbeaten 201 against Muttiah Muralitharan and Ayantha Mendis while his team-mates floundered.

“Viru has changed the definition of what it takes to open the batting in Test cricket,” said Chopra, who opened with Sehwag during 10 Tests in 2003-04. “I grew up wanting to bat like Michael Atherton, in traditional mode, leaving the ball outside off stump, but Viru has turned everything on its head. His speed and consistency are remarkable. He has developed so much time against the quickest bowling in the world.

“He backs himself no matter how often he fails. There will be those advising him to change, but he won’t. He is a little bull-headed. He knows his own mind.”

Chennai was a classic case in point. Sehwag was out in what seemed reckless fashion in the first innings, dragging an attempted cut into his stumps, but he still went out and played in exactly the same way in the second innings, tearing into the England bowling.

Matthew Hayden has also brought unusual aggression to the business of opening the batting but his strike-rate lags well behind Sehwag’s and he scores in more predictable areas, focusing on hitting down the ground. Where Sehwag differs from most openers is in the flamboyance of his backlift, which for sheer outrageousness bears comparison with Brian Lara’s. Generally, the higher the backlift the greater the risk of things going wrong on the down-swing. But Sehwag still brings down the bat very straight, even for those lacerating horizontal strokes he plays through backward point, where he scored so many of his runs in India’s run-chase in the first Test. For all his phenomenal success, Sehwag remains the same shy, compassionate person. “He is a very humble, down-to-earth boy,” Sharma said. “When he comes back to see us, he is just the same as he always was.”

[Sourav]

http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1770330

Someone post the article pls...

[littlemaster1982]

http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1770330

Someone post the article pls...

Virender Sehwag raised quite a few eyebrows when he was named in India's Test team to tour Australia in late 2007 and early 2008 as he had not been named in the initial list of probables for the tour Down Under. Sehwag had disappointed with a string of low scores in 2007 and was dropped from India's Test squad to Bangladesh and was not picked for the Test or one-day international series in England last year.

However, Sehwag made a strong return to the Indian team during the Test series in Australia and hasn't looked back since as he has gone from strength to strength and reclaimed not only his place in the Indian line-up, but has also regained the vice-captaincy role that he had lost due to his inconsistent performances in the past. Sehwag may not be looking to answer his critics, but his performances with the bat is his response to the detractors who are of the opinion that he doesn't have the technqiue to succeed in international cricket.

Well, technique or no technique, Sehwag has had phenomenal success in 2008 not only because of his talent but also due to his terrific hand-eye co-ordination. In 2008, Sehwag became only the third batsman after Sir Don Bradman and Brian Lara to make two triple centuries in Test cricket history and his half-century in Chennai in December 2008 laid the foundation for India successfully chasing one of the largest targets to win a Test match. Sehwag also had one of his better years in one-day internationals as his average of 49.61 in 2008 indicates.

In all, Sehwag scored 1,462 runs with a highest score of 319 at an average of 56.23 and strike rate of 85.84 in 14 Test matches. He also hit three centuries and six half-centuries in the 27 Test innings he played in the year. Sehwag also had a good 2008 in one-day internationals as he scored 893 runs including a century and eight half-centuries with a highest score of 119 and an average of 49.61 and strike rate of 120.02 from 18 matches. It should be no surprise then that there was no looking beyond Sehwag for our 'Cricketing comeback of the year' title.

Virender Sehwag wasn't a part of the Indian XI for the first two matches of the four-Test series in Australia, but made an impression on his return to the team for the third Test in Perth. Sehwag's knocks of 29 and 43 as well as his two wickets in Australia's second innings, contributed significantly to one of India's most memorable wins in Test cricket. Sehwag followed his efforts in Perth with innings of 63 and 151 in the fourth Test at Adelaide, as his knocks also helped India draw that match.

And, though Sehwag didn't have too much success in the Commonwealth Bank tri-series following the Test series in Australia, he had done enough to force his way back in to India's Test and one-day teams. For the record, Sehwag scored only 81 runs at an average of 16.20 in the five matches he played in the CB tri-series also involving Sri Lanka.

Virender Sehwag was already the only Indian batsman to have scored a triple century in Test cricket before the first match of the three-Test series against South Africa at home in -March-April 2008. And, in the first match of the series in Chennai, Sehwag added to his reputation as he became only the third batsman after Sir Don Bradman and Brian Lara to make two triple-centuries in Test cricket. In fact, during the course of his 319 in Chennai, Sehwag also hit the quickest triple century in the history of Test cricket off only 278 balls. This knock showed Sehwag at his devastating best as he cut, drove, hooked and swept with precision and hardly played a wrong shot through out his innings. In short, it was an awesome display of power hitting.

And, though Sehwag didn't hit a half-century for the remainder of the series and had scores of 6, 17, 8 and 22 in the second and third Test matches at Ahmedabad and Kanpur respectively, his 319 in Chennai is going to be remembered as one of the greatest innings ever played in Test cricket.

Virender Sehwag was consistency personified and at his attacking best during the Asia Cup in Pakistan in -June-July 2008. Sehwag got his tournament off to a blazing start with a knock of 78 against minnows Hong Kong in Karachi, and followed this with scores of 119 and 49 (both against Pakistan) and 42 and 60 against Sri Lanka. And, it was Sehwag;s dismissal in the final that led to an Indian collapse as the Sri Lankans won the match and trophy. Sehwag scored 348 runs at an average of 69.60 in the Asia Cup to signal a return to form in the 50-overs format of the game as well.

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were the only Indian batsmen to distinguish themselves during India's Test tour of Sri Lanka in July-August 2008 even as Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis regularly ran through the middle-order with clinical precision. And, while Sehwag didn't score half-centuries in either the first or the third match of the series, his double-century and half-century in the second Test at Galle laid the foundation for India's win in that match. In fact, with his 201 not out in Galle, Sehwag demonstarted that he has the maturity to temper his aggressive brand of batting and can also bat with the tail as he carried his bath through the innings.

Sehwag had scores of 201* and 50 in Galle, while in the first Test he had scores of 25 and 13 and in the third Test match in Colombo he made 21 and 34. However, Sehwag missed the one-day series that followed the Test match series with an ankle injury.

Though Virender Sehwag didn't score a century in the four- - Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series against Australia at home, he gave India solid starts at the top with Gautam Gambhir, and this was one of the main differentiators between the two teams, as the hosts regained the trophy after five years. Sehwag's aggressive batting also allowed Gambhir to pace his knocks in the series and also allowed the other Indian batsmen to play themselves in. The Nawab of Najafgarh had scores of 45, 6, 35, 90, 1, 16, 66 and 92 in the series for an aggregate of 351 runs at an average of 43.88.

Virender Sehwag continued his run-scoring form in the one-day series against England as he went on the rampage against a mediocre English bowling attack and sent the fielders on a leather hunt. Sehwag was in blazing form at the top of the order and hit four half-centuries in the five ODIs against England. Sehwag's run of scores in the series was: 85 in Rajkot, 1 in Indore, 68 in Kanpur, 69 in Bangalore and 91 in Cuttack for an aggregate of 314 runs at an average of 62.80.

Virender Sehwag's knock of 83 in the second innings of the first Test match against England in Chennai laid the foundation as India successfully chased the target of 387 to record the then highest fourth-highest run-chase in Test history. But, Sehwag didn't have a lot of success in the rest of the series as scores of 9, 0 and 17 indicate. Sehwag's match-winning knock of 83 in Chennai though would have made up for those other three disappointments to a certain extent. 2008 was certainly Sehwag's career and here is hoping that he goes on to achieve greater heights in the years to come.

[Sourav]

:ty: Master.

[littlemaster1982]

There are tales, and then there are tales, one more incredible than the other, about Virender Sehwag.

Shane Warne narrates a delectable one in his recent book. Playing for Leicestershire against Middlesex, Sehwag found Abdul Razzaq reverse-swinging the ball alarmingly. He called his batting partner Jeremy Snape over and said he had a plan. "We must lose this ball," Sehwag said matter-of-factly. Next over, Viru smashed the ball clean out of the ground. The ball was lost. The replacement ball would, obviously, not reverse right away. "We're all right for one hour," he told the non-striker, who told Warne. Mission accomplished.


Only Sehwag possible :notworthy:

[Sourav]

:bow:

[Sourav]

Sehwag and Dhoni in race for the 'Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year'

Virender Sehwag and Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni fruitful season for India has led them for consideration for the top honours at the Castrol Awards for Cricketing Excellence.

Starting with the Asia Cup in June 2008, The 'Nawab of Najafgarh' Sehwag's performances firmly place him at the number 1 slot for the Castrol Awards for Cricketing Excellence, with 54 points. Close on his heels, with 50 points, is India's 'Captain Courageous' and new age poster boy, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose innovative and inspirational leadership helped India regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy by a convincing 2-0 margin.

Harbhajan Singh comes with 43 points at third position.The Delhi Duo of Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma are placed on the 4th spot with 41 points and 5th spot with 39 points respectively

The annual 'Castrol Award for Cricketing excellence' was instituted in 1997-98. The rating system takes into account performances by Indian cricketers in international matches during the calendar year. Previous recipients of the CASTROL INDIAN CRICKETER OF THE YEAR AWARD are:

* Sachin Tendulkar (1997-98, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2003-04 – shared) and * Rahul Dravid (1998-99, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 – shared and 2004-05).

Early this year, Castrol also initiated the Castrol Asian Cricketer of the Year Award which was won by Sourav Ganguly.

http://www.wheelsunplugged.com/ViewNews.aspx?newsid=2139

[Sourav]

How Viru got his groove back
‘Patience Helped Me Rediscover Form Before Oz Tour’
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Pune: When explosive instincts met restraint, Virender Sehwag was reborn for Indian cricket. This was disclosed by the Indian vice-captain himself on the sidelines of a prize distribution function of a cricket tournament at Deccan Gymkhana here on Friday.
A year ago, Sehwag was not even among the 24 probables picked for the Australia tour. But the Delhi captain was informed about his inclusion in the final squad when he was captaining Delhi in a Ranji Trophy elite division match against Maharashtra at Nagothane (Raigad district).
What did the 30-year-old opener learn in this phase when he was not in the team for the Bangladesh and England tours and the home series against Pakistan? “I didn’t change my batting,” he said. “I changed my mindset. I defended a lot of balls. I showed patience. If you see my innings in Australia, you would notice that I was leaving a lot more balls (157 ‘dot’ balls during his 236-ball 151).”
And thus Sehwag learnt the art of leaving to find his form again.
Though he himself gave an example of patience, he wasn’t quite interested in giving his definition of what constitutes a safe shot. “Every ball is safe if I’m not playing any shot,” he quipped. “I have grown up playing attacking, positive cricket and I have continued using the same thinking and the same process.”
Simple thinking also helps in setting priorities better. Sehwag implied that Team India didn’t want to show unwanted bravado in the Mohali Test last week by declaring early and give England a chance to chase victory. “I don’t think we played negative cricket,” he said. “But winning the series was most important. Be it by any method.”
The series win gave India the No. 2 spot in the ICC Test rankings. “India will be No. 1 soon, there’s no doubt about that. And we are working hard on that,” said the swashbuckling batsman.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/12/27&PageLabel=20&EntityId=Ar02003&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/12/26/Article//103/26_12_2008_103_005.jpg

:boo:
Malai da....ErI MaLai... :smokesmirk:

[Sourav]

The ten finest ODI performances of 2008

Virender Sehwag’s amazing strike rate

http://sify.com/sports/cricket/imagegallery/galleryDetail.php?hgallery=14824825

Virender Sehwag bats the same way be it Tests or ODIs or Twenty20. He enjoys a fearsome reputation in all forms of the game and during the year, he enhanced it further as the figures will readily confirm. In 18 ODIs, he scored 893 runs at an average approaching 50 with a hundred and eight half centuries. Not unexpectedly, he hit 121 fours and 22 sixes. But perhaps most astonishingly, the runs were hammered at a strike rate of 120 which was the highest among those who scored more than 300 runs.

Starting off with a modest record in the Commonwealth Bank Series `Down Under’, he struck form in the Asia Cup and wound up the year getting four half centuries in five matches against England. His 119 off 95 balls with 12 fours and five sixes against Pakistan in the Asia Cup match at Karachi was one of the most sparkling knocks seen during the year.

[Sourav]

The ten finest ODI performances of 2008

Virender Sehwag’s 119 vs Pakistan, Asia Cup

Successfully chasing a target of 300 is not uncommon especially in the sub continent. But going after it in such a manner that victory is achieved with eight overs to spare is a stupendous achievement by any yardstick. This is what India accomplished in the Asia Cup day/night encounter against Pakistan at Karachi in June and it wasn’t a surprise that Virender Sehwag was the architect of the astonishing victory.

Batting first, Pakistan led off with 299 for four in 50 overs and the early dismissal of the in-form Gautam Gambhir put the Indians in a spot of bother. However, Sehwag and Suresh Raina got the Indians back on track with a second-wicket partnership of 198 runs in 24.4 overs.

The Pakistan attack manned by Umar Gal, Sohail Tanvir, Iftikhar Anjum and Shahid Afridi was more than respectable but Sehwag and Raina were in no mood to honour reputations. Their association put the Indians in a winning position before Raina departed after scoring 84 off 69 balls with ten fours and three sixes. Sehwag in the meantime had completed his ninth ODI hundred. By the time he was third out at 231 in the 31st over after hitting 119 off 95 balls with 12 fours and five sixes, the Indians were well on course for a comfortable victory.
http://sify.com/sports/cricket/imagegallery/galleryDetail.php?hgallery=14824825

[thamizhvaanan]

[tscii:4c07854a91]India's one-two punch (http://blogs.cricinfo.com/diffstrokes/archives/2008/12/indias_onetwo_punch.php)

By Mike Holmans

The most striking thing to me about India’s performance in the pair of Tests against England was that they have finally solved their opening batsman problem.

From the time Sunil Gavaskar retired until very recently, opening India’s batting was as thankless as batting at three for England. Around the turn of the millennium, Indian opening batsmen were rather like Indian opening bowlers of the Seventies, mere hors d’oeuvres before the introduction of the Fab Four – spinners or batsmen, depending on decade.

Eventually Virender Sehwag, a promising middle order bat, realised that he could either wait seven years to get a chance in his preferred position or have a go at opening. For those raised on the cautious principles which Gavaskar followed as an opener, Sehwag was either a shock or an abomination, since caution was a concept entirely unknown to him.

It took some time for India to be happy with this; wise men would shake their heads and murmur about the need for solidity at the top of the order, but gradually his value came to be recognised.

That value is not so much in the runs he scores as in the fear he has implanted in every opposition. Sometimes he hardly disturbs them, sometimes he is but a few violent gusts, but he is as closely observed as the weather systems in the western Atlantic because of the danger that an unstoppable Hurricane Viru will lay waste to them. Until Sehwag is out, every captain and every bowling attack is on edge. Unless they get him quickly their nerves fray and their confidence saps, making life for those who follow him that much easier.

Even better, it allows his partner to play himself in unnoticed. Several batsmen were offered this opportunity, but until Gautam Gambhir came along, none had really made very much of it.

Gambhir looks to me to be the true heir of Sunil Gavaskar, a Gavaskar for the twenty-first century.

Batsmen are of their time. In the Seventies and Eighties, the adhesive caution which characterised Gavaskar or Boycott was highly esteemed. Spectators understood that although it was very dull to watch, this was how Test cricket was played.

A generation on, teams start every match trying to win it rather than insuring against loss, so more enterprise is required in opening batsmen. The great thing about Gambhir is that he seems perfectly equipped for today’s strategies.

21st-century engineering makes shifting gears in the Gambi much smoother than in the older Sunny. Today’s model effortlessly spots the bad ball on the wrong length from a pace bowler and walks down the track to caress it over long on for six, changing back down to low gear for the next ball without the passengers noticing a thing, while the earlier version tended to have to get into a particular gear and stay there for a period. One could wish for a little more elegance in the external styling, but the power unit and transmission have a silky flexibility usually absent from twentieth-century vehicles.

The next Indian middle order may not be up to the standard set by the Fab Four, but the new opening partnership is now the most fearsome in world cricket.

[/tscii:4c07854a91]

[Sourav]

Sehwag may help India become No. 1 :smokesmirk:
Partha Bhaduri | TNN


It’s all but over for Australia as the No. 1 team and it’s down to India and South Africa to take over from them.
Virender Sehwag is one man who can play a huge role to help India win that berth. India’s advantage is at the top, with the Sehwag-Gambhir combo the most feared in the world. Both this year’s top runscorer (Graeme Smith) and top wicket-taker (Dale Steyn) are South Africans.
But the top-10 batting ranks are dominated also by Indians, and the two teams boast four players each who have scored above 1,000 runs in the calendar year.
It is in the bowling that India lag behind, and stats don’t tell the story of their dependency on Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma to prise out wickets. But like India’s premier spinner Harbhajan Singh and leggie Amit Mishra, these bowlers have strike rates way below their South African counterparts Steyn, Ntini, Morne Morkel and Paul Harris. They can bat better too, as the Australians found out at the MCG. Maybe Munaf Patel can lend occasional teeth to the attack.
For India, Rahul Dravid’s recent struggles and Yuvraj Singh’s unflattering Test record overseas would seem to give the edge to the South African middle-order of Amla, Kallis, De Villers, Duminy/Prince.
But India rate higher in the quality and pedigree of batsmanship — with Tendulkar and Laxman boasting records that are head and shoulders above those of all the South Africans except Kallis. India also have a higher-quality bench strength in batting, boasting players like Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, S Badrinath, M Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Where they have suffered, though, is Irfan Pathan’s inability to revive his career, depriving the team of a quality allrounder in the mould of a Jacques Kallis. It’s a severe handicap considering Kallis’ utility in the SA side. South Africans have the edge in fielding too.
But success on the field often depends on intangibles, like mastery of conditions, a touch of genius or the ability to maintain self-belief against all odds. Here, India might just have the upper hand with Dhoni in command. Besides, they also have a South African coach in Gary Kirsten!

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/12/31&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01603&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/12/31/Article//121/31_12_2008_121_005.jpg

[Sourav]

Records

* Only Indian batsman to have scored two triple centuries in Test cricket. He is the third batsman in the history of Test cricket, to score two triple centuries (first two being Sir Donald Bradman and Brian Lara).
* Third fastest century in ODI cricket by an Indian - 100 runs off 69 balls against New Zealand in 2001
* Second fastest ODI 50 by an Indian - a record, he shares with Rahul Dravid, Kapil Dev and Yuvraj Singh - when he took 22 balls against Kenya in 2001
* Five double centuries - the first three of which came against Pakistan. Greg Chappell is the only other player to have scored multiple double centuries against Pakistan
* Highest score by an Indian batsman in Test cricket. He first achieved this when he scored 309 against Pakistan in Multan in 2004, and bettered his previous record in March 2008 at Chennai against South Africa by scoring 319.
* Fastest triple century: His second triple century scored at Chennai on 27-28 March 2008 against South Africa was the fastest in terms of balls faced by any batsman (off 278 balls).
* Consecutive 150+ scores in Test cricket: He holds the record for consecutive test hundreds converted to scores of 150+, at 11.
* Two consecutive double century partnerships in a Test innings. He achieved this record, for the first two wickets in Chennai on 27-28 March 2008 (with Wasim Jaffer and Rahul Dravid respectively). This was the first time in Test history that the first two wickets in an innings have resulted in double-century stands.
* He is the first person in the history of test cricket to hit two triple century and take five wickets in test match.

[Sourav]

Viru's 309 against the top wicket takers of this year steyn (74) and ntini (53)... :redjump:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGlrODbZnUI&feature=related

[Sourav]

http://www.santabanta.com/wallpapers/category.asp?catname=virender%20sehwag

[Sourav]

நம்பிக்கைத் துரோகி சாப்பல் : சேவக்

புதுடில்லி: என்னைப் பொறுத்த வரையில் கிறிஸ்டன் இந்திய அணியின் வெற்றிகரமான பயிற்சியாளராக இருக்கிறார். ஆனால் அணியின் முன்னாள் பயிற்சியாளர் ஆஸ்திரேலியாவின் சாப்பல், வீரர்களுக்கு நம் பிக்கைத் துரோகம் செய்துவிட்டார் என சேவக் கடும் தாக்குதல் தொடுத்துள்ளார்.
இந்திய அணியின் டெஸ்ட், ஒருநாள் மற்றும் "டுவென்டி-20' என அனைத்து போட்டியிலும் துவக்க ஆட்டக்காரராக இருப்பவர் சேவக். கடந்த ஆண்டு டெஸ்ட் போட்டிகளில் இந்தியா பெற்ற பல வெற்றிகளுக்கு சேவக்கின் ஆட்டம் உதவியது. அணியின் முன்னாள் பயிற்சியாளர் சாப்பல் குறித்து சேவக் கூறியது: என்னுடைய ஆட்டத்தின் முறையை மாற்றுவதற்கு முயற்சி செய்து கொண்டு இருந்தார் சாப்பல். இதனை அவர் என்னிடம் தெரிவித்து இருக்க வேண்டும். ஆனால் சாப்பல் அணியின் தேர்வாளர்களிடமோ அல்லது மீடியாவிடமோதான் இதைப்பற்றி விவாதிப்பார். இதுபோன்ற நிகழ்வுகள் வீரர்களுக்கு அவர் மீது இருந்த நம்பிக்கையை தகர்த்து விட்டது. நான் அவருடைய பயிற்சியில் மகிழ்ச்சியாக இருந்தது இல்லை.

கசிந்த ரகசியம்: சாப்பல் நியமித்த உளவியல் நிபுணர் ரூடி வெப்ஸ்டரிடம் இருந்து நான் விலகியது இல்லை. அவரிடம் அனைத்து வீரர்களும் சேர்ந்துதான் ஆலோசனையில் ஈடுபடுவோம். ஆனால் அவரிடம் அளித்த தகவல்கள் குறித்த ரகசியங்களை அவர் பாதுகாப்பது இல்லை.

கிறிஸ்டன் "பெஸ்ட்': டிரசிங் ரூமில் எங்களது எண்ணத் தில் கிறிஸ்டன் தலையிடுவது இல்லை. குறிப்பாக டெஸ்ட் போட்டிகளின் போது வழக்கமான பயிற்சிகளில் அவர் தலையிடுவதில்லை. என்னைப் பொறுத்தவரையில் சிறந்த பயிற்சியாளராக கிறிஸ்டன் இருக்கிறார்.

கங்குலி சிறந்தவர்: என்னைப்போன்ற பல புதிய இளம் வீரர்களை முன்னாள் கேப்டன் கங்குலி இந்திய கிரிக் கெட்டுக்கு கொண்டு வந் துள்ளார். நியூசிலாந்துக்கு எதிரான போட்டியில் உடல் நலக்குறைவுடன் இருந்த போதும், கங்குலியின் ஆதரவுடன் 69 பந்துகளில் நான் அடித்த சதம்தான் எனக்கு நல்ல திருப்புமுனையாக இருந்தது. சிறந்த தாக்குதல் மனப்பான்மையுள்ள கேப்டனாக கங்குலி இருந்தார்.

தோனி அசத்தல்: கங்குலியிடம் இருந்த தாக்குதல் குணம் உட்பட அனைத்து குணங்களும் தோனியிடமும் இருக்கிறது. அதேநேரம் எப்படி பாதுகாப்பாக விளையாடி, போட்டியை வெல்வது என்ற திறமையும் தோனியிடம் உள்ளது. அவர் எங்கள் எல்லோருக்கும் தேவையான இடம் அளிக்கிறார். அணியின் ஒவ்வொரு வீரரையும் கட்டுப்படுத்த விரும்பமாட்டார்.

மறக்க முடியாது: சோர்வாக சென்று கொண் டிருந்த எனது கிரிக்கெட் வாழ்வில் 2007-08ல் ஆஸ்திரேலியாவுக்கு எதிரான அடிலெய்டு டெஸ்டின் இரண்டாவது இன்னிங்சில் நான் எடுத்த சதம் வாழ்வில் மறக்க முடியாத சதம். இவ்வாறு சேவக் தெரிவித்தார்.

http://sports.dinamalar.com/NewsDetail.aspx?Value1=1&Value2=903&Value3=I



New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) Greg Chappell betrayed the trust of players but Gary Kirsten, his successor as Indian cricket coach, is the "best I have ever seen", India's dashing opening batsman Virender Sehwag said today.
The former South African batting star, Kirsten "doesn't force things on you", Sehwag said in a freewheeling interview to PTI.

Comparing the two coaches, Sehwag indicated that Chappell had tried to get him to change his batting style. "He had his view on my front-foot play, my footwork." "The thing with him (Chappell) was that whatever you shared with him, it was promptly disclosed to media and selectors. He talked and that hurt the trust," Sehwag said.

Excerpts from the interview: Q: You cut your teeth under Sourav Ganguly. He was the one who made you an opener? A: Yes, it was in Sri Lanka. I hit gold in the third match with that blistering century off 69 balls (against New Zealand). A lot of youngsters, including me, came to the fore under Dada. Remember, when he took over world cricket was reeling under the impact of match-fixing. He always backed us. :smokesmirk:

For instance when I was Man of the Match against Australia early in my career, he assured me that I would play in at least next 30 one-day matches. Even when he promoted me as an opener, he told me to bat without worry as he wouldn't touch me for the next 30-35 games.

When your captains backs you in this manner, your confidence is sky-high. He was also an extremely aggressive captain. PTI

[Sourav]

Cricinfo Award-winning knock Sehwag's 'best-ever'

Cricinfo staff

January 17, 2009


The innings that won Virender Sehwag the Cricinfo Award for the best Test innings of 2008 has earned the highest endorsement from the man himself. Talking to Sanjay Manjrekar, a member of Cricinfo's jury at the awards function yesterday, Sehwag termed his 201 not out against Sri Lanka at Galle as his best-ever Test innings, ahead of both his triple hundreds.

"Both my triple centuries in Pakistan and Chennai came on good tracks and I could feel on both occasions that the opposition simply didn¹t have it in them to get me out," Sehwag said, "but here wickets were falling regularly at the other end and I batted throughout the innings."

Sehwag¹s 201 came in a team score of 329 in an innings where only two other batsmen, Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman, got to double digits. Sehwag added 167 with Gambhir at nearly six runs an over and then watched four wickets go down for 11 runs. Sehwag said in jest that he was thankful to his team-mates for getting out so that he could become the second Indian opener to carry his bat through an innings. "After all, I am not Sunil Gavaskar, who could stay at the wicket for long periods."

Sehwag's knock came in the backdrop of a carnage in the first Test in Colombo where India lost by and innings and 239 runs, surrendering wickets to the two spinners - debutant Ajantha Mendis and the old master Muttiah Muralitharan. At Galle, Sehwag scored 128 off the spinners, including 70 in 77 balls off Mendis.

"I could pick the ball from Mendis' hand," Sehwag said. "I attacked him and created a little doubt in his mind. I hit the good balls for fours through covers and point. I was able to read his googly and top-spin.

"I was never worried about Mendis. In the seven or eight innings I played against Sri Lanka, I got out to him only once."

Sehwag rated Murali, along with Glenn McGrath, as the most difficult bowler he had encountered. Watching him bat at Galle one could have hardly known though, as Sehwag kept on hitting against the turn through the off side. Sehwag had a delightfully candid answer about the way played he him. "I was not able to pick his doosra, so I treated every ball as a doosra and tried to hit it. But I found them to be off-spinners. It did not matter much as I was getting boundaries," he said.

"No matter who is the bowler, I always like to attack," Sehwag said, "I don't like to defend and hate to leave deliveries. That is nothing but waste of time."

Sehwag went on to score an aggressive 50 in the second innings and India won the Test by 170 runs.

© Cricinfo

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/awards2008/content/story/386703.html

:bow: :clap:

[Sourav]

[tscii:08f280ee72]

Best Test Batting Performance of 2008

Virender Sehwag
210 not out v Sri Lanka
second Test, Galle

When you watch Virender Sehwag bat, it's easy to forget that the opener's job description once involved seeing the shine off the new ball. Yet, even by his cavalier standards, Galle was a high-water mark. India had been pulped at the SSC in the opening Test, and Sehwag's shot selection had attracted considerable criticism. Yet, after India won the toss there was not the slightest change in approach. By lunch they had gallumphed to 151 for 0, with Sehwag on 91. It was breathtaking stuff, especially the way he dealt with Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, twin tormentors from the first Test.

The rain came down after that, and India could resume only four hours later. No cold start from Sehwag, though. He may have been within touching distance of another hundred, but you wouldn't have known without a glance at the scoreboard. Circumspection. What's that? Play had just resumed when Chaminda Vaas overpitched outside off stump. Sehwag's bat swished down and the ball went over midwicket. For six. Three balls later, he leathered one down the ground. A century from 87 balls.

If anything, his batting the following day was even more special. After the 167-run opening partnership, Sri Lanka fought back strongly, and only Sehwag showed the confidence and quickness of thought to combat the spinners. After the middle order subsided, Murali bowled most of the second morning with six fielders on the leg side. Sehwag, though, was utterly unflustered, stroking the ball against the spin with assurance. He opened the face of the bat, tapped into the vacant gaps and drove with awesome power at times.

Early in the day he stepped out to Murali and played a dazzling cover-drive, and on at least a couple of occasions he manufactured strokes despite being deceived in the flight. Until forced to slow down by the rash of wickets at the other end, he cruised along at a run a ball, driving and cutting with both precision and power.

Even more eye-catching was the taming of Mendis, whose carrom ball and other variations had decimated the heart of the batting order in Colombo. Sehwag's eye and quick hands, allied with a sluggish pitch, allowed him to play Mendis off the track, and the good work was stymied only by the lack of application from his team-mates. Even as Sehwag eschewed flamboyance and tried to farm the strike in the latter part of his innings, some of his colleagues attempted appalling strokes with not a thought for the set batsman or the match situation.

Sehwag scored 70 from the 77 balls that Mendis bowled to him, and 58 from the 81 he faced from Murali. Vaas went for a run a ball from 51 balls, and by the time the innings folded at 329, Sehwag had carried his bat for 201, an innings fit to compare with Graham Gooch's 154 (out of 252) against West Indies at Headingley in 1991. Gooch had blunted a fiery pace attack, while Sehwag had made two extraordinary spin bowlers look run of the mill.

Later, he spoke of playing Mendis off the pitch as though it was the simplest thing in the world. Others tried to pick him from the hand and failed. Sehwag trusted his instincts and played an innings for posterity. There is no point trying to emulate his methods: the man's one of a kind, seeing the shine off the ball in his own inimitable way.

Dileep Premachandran is an associate editor at Cricinfo

© Cricinfo
:smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk:
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/awards2008/content/story/386501.html
[/tscii:08f280ee72]

[Sourav]

TEST batting

BATTING PAIR OF THE YEAR: OPENERS
(cut-off: at least ten innings)

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir
In another battle between India and South Africa, Sehwag and Gambhir won India the contest, scoring 972 runs for the opening wicket an average of 60.75, with three century stands in 16 innings. Smith and Neil McKenzie had an equal number of century stands in 18 innings, but they scored 968 runs at an average of 56.94. Matthew Hayden and Simon Katich were major disappointments: they averaged 30.92 in 15 innings, with only one century partnership.

HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF RUNS IN BOUNDARIES

Virender Sehwag
With 181 fours and 22 sixes, Sehwag took the honours quite comfortably here as well: of the 1462 runs he scored, 856 were in fours and sixes, giving him a percentage of 58.55. Smith followed, with 628 out of 1168 (53.77), while Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen and Hashim Amla were the others who scored more than 50% of their runs through the boundary route. AT the bottom of this is Australia's Michael Clarke, who grafted his way to plenty of runs in 2008: only 420 of his 1063 runs came in fours and sixes, making him the only one in the list with a sub-40 percentage (39.51).

HIGHEST STRIKE-RATE

Virender Sehwag
Sehwag's audacity wins him this award by quite a distance. He scored 1462 runs in 1703 balls for a strike rate of 85.84, well clear of Smith, who scored at a rate of 63.92 (1168 runs in 1827 balls). At the bottom of this pile is Rahul Dravid, who despite getting the third-highest percentage of runs in boundaries had a strike rate of 38.60, which is an illustration of the number of dot-balls he played.


ODI batting
(Cut-off: at least 500 runs, unless mentioned otherwise)

HIGHEST STRIKE-RATE

Virender Sehwag
Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh were the only ones with a 100-plus strike-rate, but Sehwag was a convincing winner, with a figure of 113.17 (756 runs from 668 balls) - Yuvraj "only" managed a strike rate of 100.97.

MOST RUNS SCORED IN BOUNDARIES

Virender Sehwag
With 101 fours and 18 sixes, Sehwag dominated this list, and was well clear of the competition - 67.72% of runs in boundaries (512 out of 756). Yuvraj Singh followed, with a percentage of 58.24, while Chris Gayle was third at 58.05%.

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/awards2008/content/story/386394.html

[directhit]

நம்பிக்கைத் துரோகி சாப்பல் : சேவக் :thumbsup:

[Sourav]

When Viru sings, bowlers dance

New Delhi: He does not lose sleep before a match, he does not worry about the pitch — Virender Sehwag just hums Sai Baba bhajans and Kishore Kumar songs till the bowler is about to deliver the ball.
Here is the dashing opener’s simple formula for success in his own words: “I want my mind to be absolutely free while facing up to a bowler. I try to hum songs, Sai Baba bhajans and Kishore Kumar songs, especially those pictured on Amitabh Bachchan till the bowler is about to deliver. Excerpts
When you look back, do you fret about why you went for a six when you were on 294 in Multan?
I never look back. I have never looked back on that innings. What is gone is gone, it’s over.
Surely a triple century ought to mean something. Not one but 2 triple centuries?
They don’t. Surely not as much as winning a match for your team. All of us play to win. Nothing is more thrilling than winning a match for your team.
What is the most important aspect of your batting?
For me, the most important part of batting is my still head. I try touching my helmet with my left shoulder to keep it still. Once Sunil Gavaskar asked me to take middle or off-stump guard. And I think it has suited me. With a leg stump guard, you could be chasing a wide delivery. Or leaving a gap. With a middle-and-off stump guard, the bowler doesn’t know where to pitch his stuff. If it is in stumps, you could whip it to onside. If its outside the off-stump, he is allowing you to play your favourite shots. I always take middle stump guard.
Like Tendulkar who doesn’t sleep before a Test, do you also worry about bowlers and conditions and pitch?
I don’t. I do have an idea about who should be treated with respect and who to go after. It would surprise most to know that I never look at the wicket. Never. I don’t worry about whether the pitch has grass or moisture or is flat.
It has been said that one shouldn’t give room to Sehwag. But after 66 Tests and 15 centuries, they are still trying!
I never hook. Only recently I tried it against James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff but it was because I saw it pretty early and knew how to keep it down. The thing is, it’s impossible for a bowler to bowl six deliveries in an over which rise to chesthigh. The moment a bowler errs, I pounce on him. PTI

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F01%2F22&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=22&EntityId=Ar02205&AppName=1

[Sourav]

Viruuuuuuuu Bhaiiiiiiii!!! :boo: :bow: :smokesmirk:

[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOICH/2009/02/04/18/Img/Ar0180801.png

[directhit]

On behalf of hubber Sourav :hammer: :hammer:

Sehwag to get Polly Umrigar award

Mumbai: Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag will be conferred with the Polly Umrigar award for 2007-08 here on February 18, according to BCCI sources.

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar had won the award in December 2007 along with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.

Meanwhile, Niranjan Shah has been appointed as the manager of the Indian tean for the tour of New Zealand, beginning later this month.

The tour will kick off with a Twenty20 match on February 25.

India will play three Tests, five ODIs and two twenty20 matches during the tour.

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/sehwag-to-get-polly-umrigar-award/38102-13.html

[Sourav]

On behalf of hubber Sourav :hammer: :hammer:

Sehwag to get Polly Umrigar award

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/sehwag-to-get-polly-umrigar-award/38102-13.html All cricket sites r blocked here... :cry3:
Viru... :clap: :smokesmirk:

[Sourav]

[tscii:5554a47cbe]Viru is BCCI Player of the Year :smokesmirk:


New Delhi: India’s cricket chiefs named swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag the country’s player of the year for 2007-2008 on Monday.
Sehwag, 30, will receive the Polly Umrigar award, named after a former India captain, at a function organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Mumbai on February 18. Sehwag dominated Indian batting since his return to the Test side on the 2007-08 tour of Australia after being overlooked for the away series against Bangladesh and England and the home matches against Pakistan.
In 2008, the opening batsman scored 1,462 runs in 14 Tests at an average of 56.23, including a blistering triple-century against South Africa in Chennai.
Sehwag was also part of India’s World Cup-winning Twenty20 squad in South Africa in September, 2007.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F02%2F10&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01603&AppName=1[/tscii:5554a47cbe]

[Sourav]

Yuvraj Singh was the most valuable player (MVP) in the recently-concluded Sri Lanka - India ODI series, but Virender Sehwag continues to be India's most valuable ODI player so far in the 2008-09 season.

India's most valuable players in the 2008-09 ODI season (24 matches so far) (http://inhome.rediff.com/cricket/2009/feb/09yuvraj-in-mvp-race-sehwag.htm)

[Sourav]

[tscii:2711441a71]
‘Dhoni, Viru scary on small NZ grounds’

Christchurch: New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori said that the prospect of facing Indian bighitters like Virender Sehwag and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the upcoming home series was “pretty scary” as it would be tough to contain them on the small grounds.
The last time India toured New Zealand six years ago they went down 0-2 in Tests and lost the One-day series 2-5. But India’s current form in all three forms of the game has Vettori worried and he said stopping Dhoni and Sehwag could turn into a nightmare for his bowlers.
“You look at the individual players and some of the world’s best are coming,” Vettori said.
“Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag batting on the little grounds in New Zealand is pretty scary,” the leg-spinner said.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F02%2F18&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=17&EntityId=Ar01705&AppName=1[/tscii:2711441a71]

[Sourav]

[tscii:fb77f2d63a]
For Sehwag, nothing has changed

Vijay Lokapally

NEW DELHI: Virender Sehwag has evolved as a batsman as none before. Nothing has changed about his cricket. He continues to be hungry for runs, wants to dominate the attack, and importantly, continues to ‘love’ cricket.

There is nothing complicated about Sehwag’s cricket. A simple stance, a mind-boggling range of strokes, lightning downswing of the bat and exceptional hand-eye co-ordination make Sehwag a most entertaining batsman to watch.

“I see no reason to change,” he says as a matter of fact. A matter-of-pride for Sehwag would be the prestigious Polly Umrigar award which he is set to receive at a function in Mumbai on Wednesday before flying off to New Zealand.

“Why should he change? His natural game is his strength,” asserts former great Kapil Dev.

“Sehwag’s attitude towards the game is his strong point. He is the same as he looked when he started. Most batsmen change with age,” says Kapil.

“Don Bradman, Sunil Gavaskar, Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar all experienced changes with age. But not Sehwag.”

“I can’t imagine any other contemporary batsman commanding such respect. Have you ever heard of Sehwag making 30 off 100 balls?” asks Kapil.

On the other hand M.S. Dhoni, known for his savage hitting in the initial days, has shed his aggression to an extent that even a 50 without a boundary should not surprise his fans.

“I think it comes from his responsibilities as a captain,” Kapil offers a defence.

On his part, Sehwag says: “Honestly, I have always considered my role to be important. As an opener, I have the responsibility to give the team a good start. I feel happy only when the team wins.”

“This is a team sport and individuals only contribute to make it a collective success,” says Sehwag, who, like the rest, failed in the two Tests on India’s last tour of New Zealand but hit two rollicking centuries in the one-dayers.

This time the team appears to be better prepared and Sehwag had reasons to be confident. “We are looking forward to the series. The seniors are keen to share the experience with the juniors. We collectively have a goal to win the series.

“I see a role for myself. I have to give the team good starts so that the incoming batsman walks in with greater purpose and confidence. Important thing is to play without putting yourself under needless pressure.

“I am not looking at setting or achieving personal goals. It is all about the team doing well and I know all other members think the same way,” claimed the flamboyant opener.

Sehwag relies on proper training, conserving energy for bigger situations and regular yoga for relaxation when it comes to concentration. “I have never felt jaded because I have known my role. I am lucky that my captains and coaches have allowed me to be my own. And that, believe me, is the best thought to have. We are all keen to beat New Zealand. We have the potential to do that.”

India’s only Test series triumph in New Zealand was achieved 41 years ago.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/18/stories/2009021860342000.htm[/tscii:fb77f2d63a]

[Sourav]

Mumbai, Feb 18 (PTI) Flamboyant opener Virender Sehwag today said he wanted to emulate his idol Sachin Tendulkar and win the Best Cricketer of the Year Award of the Cricket Board and was happy to achieve the feat after eight years in international cricket.
"I have always watched Sachin on TV and wanted to emulate him. It's a great honour to win this award, especially a year after my role model Tendulkar won it. It took me eight years to do so. My first award was the Castrol Award. I thank the BCCI for this honour," Sehwag said after receiving the Polly Umrigar Award from Board President Shashank Manohar.

Gundappa Viswanath, the ex-India skipper and one-time middle-order mainstay, received the C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award from Manohar at the annual awards function.

The former wrist specialist, who brought unbridled joy to millions of Indian fans with his stylish play, said he considered the twin triumphs in 1971 in the West Indies and England as his best moments.

"I consider the 1971 tour under Ajit Wadekar of the West Indies and England as my best cricketing moments. Again we chased 400-plus and won (at Port of Spain in Trinidad in 1976) and I got a hundred which also is a special moment for me," said the Bangalore-based Vishwanath. PTI
http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/33B9D7716385BC216525756100585AF9?OpenDocument

[Sourav]

[tscii:d198f791ae]Master vs Blaster: It doesn’t get better than this (http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F03&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=18&EntityId=Ar01801&AppName=1)
Bobilli Vijay Kumar

Napier: For the third match in succession, the Indian team had to hop over to an adjacent park, if not jump across to the other side of the city, for a nets session.
It, however, didn’t complain too long this time: a quick look around, and the players’ hearts melted and the frowns got swept away. The Nelson Park is indeed a dream come true. It’s vast expanse is lush and green; a little away, pines rise up proudly, and in tandem; much beyond, the mountains loom and less than a 100 metres away, the ocean lurks.
OPTIONAL SESSION
The Indian team is clearly not a high school, or a military quarter, anymore: the players are not treated as boys now; they are in fact free to choose their own working and relaxing days.
On Monday too, just 24 hours before the One-dayers, there was no compulsory practice session. Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar promptly took advantage of the rule. They turned up at a Subway for a quick lunch, along with five others, but preferred to give the bat and ball a miss.
Ishant Sharma made an appearance though. Dhoni had already announced that he would be offered rest from the opening game’s rigours. Accordingly, the pacer didn’t have a bowl in the nets. He, however, flexed his shoulder for a considerable amount of time.
[/tscii:d198f791ae]
VIRU ON A ROLL
Watching Virender Sehwag bat is easily one of the game’s latest delights. But to really get into his mind, if not his boots, try and watch him at nets: especially, if you can get within ear shot. He is a riot.
Firstly, of course, he is in the form of his life. On Monday, he was literally dismissing every ball from his presence; secondly, he just can’t stop talking to himself, the batsman next to him, or even the bowler. He is a happy soul in the middle.
Midway through his stint, probably worried by his carefree but surefire batting, coach Gary Kirsten summoned him for a chat. We want you to be there, for as many runs as possible, he seemed to be saying.
Sehwag nodded his head, almost like a recalcitrant child. Eventually, once Gary was done, he turned and muttered a couple of words, mimicking the coach. Gambhir too repeated the words and both burst out laughing.
THE SACHIN-SEHWAG DUEL
Sehwag wasn’t finished though. Tendulkar, who had just completed his batting stint, was ready with the ball. As soon as batsman faced bowler, somebody announced: 12 to get, four balls to go. Both were promptly ready. Tendulkar pitched three down the leg side, apologising each time, and finally pounded in a bouncer.
“Kyon, paaji, dar gaye kya,” asked Sehwag. A few deliveries later, Tendulkar rapped him on his pads, and appealed loudly and triumphantly.
Sehwag quickly turned into umpire and barked, not out. Tendulkar responded, “You shouldn’t take my deliveries on your pads.” The very next ball, Rohit Sharma too hit him on his pads. But the youngster’s response was totally different. “Paaji, gussa mat ho. I know you will hit the next one very hard. But please don’t hit it at me.”
:P

[Sourav]

Pinranyaa... :cheer: :happydance: :cheer: :happydance:


V Sehwag c Ross Taylor b Daniel Vettori 77 56 11 1 137.5 :clap:

[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOICH/2009/03/04/19/Img/Pc0190900.jpg


IT POURS IN NAPIER, BUT VIRU CHOOSES TO REIGN
Sehwag’s Blazing 77 Puts Rain-Shortened First ODI Out Of Reach Of The Kiwis :cheer: :smokesmirk:
Bobilli Vijay Kumar

Napier: Every time Virender Sehwag bats, it looks and feels like Diwali night: suddenly, you start hearing firecracker-bursts instead of cricketing shots; suddenly, you see lights screaming across the sky rather than sixes sailing over the boundary.
It almost seems like everybody is suddenly wearing brand new smiles too; yes, it is celebration time, when he bats like a colourful sparkler. Sehwag is clearly in the form of his life and enjoying every moment of it.
In a rain-curtailed, D/L-traumatized One-dayer here, he strung together 77 blinding runs; more importantly, he set the night for an imposing total of 273 runs in the stipulated 38 overs. New Zealand, needing 216 in 28 overs after their first halt, and 105 off 43 balls eventually, had absolutely no chance.
By the time, the match went into its final, dying stages, they were doddering at 111 for four after 20.5 overs. They needed a miracle, or at least something close to a Sehwag-clone, to pull this off; with four of their top five batsmen back in the warmth of the hut, even he would have found it impossible.
In the end, they managed 162 for nine, which was 53 too short. The victory, however, doesn’t reflect the explosiveness in the New Zealand batting lineup or the distance between the two teams: we will have to wait for a full game to arrive at any conclusion.
One thing, though, is quite evident now: on true tracks, India can be virtually unstoppable. Despite not having the comfort of Ishant Sharma’s extra pace, they stuck to their four-bowlers policy; is that why they chose to bat first, even though there was fear in the air.
As expected, there was lot of bounce in the beginning; but that hardly seemed to bother Sehwag: he drove, cut and pulled fiercely — but not brutally — to make it all look so delightful. Sachin Tendulkar, at the other end, was watchful: he took his time to gauge the pitch and preferred to offer the strike to his partner.
But just 4.3 overs into the afternoon, the rain disrupted everybody’s mood; even after a delay of close to 150 minutes, however, Sehwag was unperturbed. He came back and continued at the same clip; if anything, he accelerated after a tripping incident with Iain O’Brien in the eighth over.
The multi-dimensional ground seemed too short as he collected boundaries (11x4; 1x6) like he was picking cherries in the orchard. Bewitched by his strokeplay, captain Dhoni decided to watch him from close on Tendulkar’s dismissal: with runs flowing from the other end, he got his time to settle down and feel the conditions. He was like the wind after that (84 not out, with six fours). Just as Sehwag was rising in the stratosphere, he was pulled down by a stunning catch (Ross Taylor diving full length to his left to stop a full-blooded drive); Yuvraj Singh, almost immediately after, ran out of steam and luck. Suresh Raina entered with the match poised on a razor’s edge.
At 131 for three, with just 17.2 overs left, India could have lost their way again. But Raina, picking his bowlers and the mid-wicket regions, raised the temperature in the ground. His 66, studded with four sixes and five fours, left the Kiwis gasping for breath and cover.
By merely looking at such a monumental target, New Zealand lost Brendon McCullum for nothing. Jesse Ryder clouted a few mishits and one four and was clearly struggling. It was only when Martin Guptill (pleasing 64) and Ross Taylor (attacking 31) came together that it looked like batting times again.
But with the rain making not-sodiscreet appearances, the run-rate kept mounting while the overs dipped. The slow bowlers then took care of the script, pinning down wickets intermittently. It was time for fireworks again but it is unlikely the Indian team will celebrate too loudly this time: its friends from Sri Lanka are, after all, in pain.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F04&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=19&EntityId=Ar01900&AppName=1
[tscii:a2fe28adf8][/tscii:a2fe28adf8]

[Sourav]

Sehwag Talks The Talk As Nz Bowlers Seek Answers (http://www.voxy.co.nz/sport/sehwag-talks-talk-nz-bowlers-seek-answers/5/9948)

Thursday, 5 March, 2009 - 19:34

By Chris Barclay of NZPA

Wellington, March 5 NZPA - Virender Sehwag usually makes emphatic statements with his flashing blade, but the softly spoken Indian opener today issued a blunt warning to New Zealand's under-pressure cricketers.

Sehwag, who has mangled bowling figures at will since his one-day international cricket debut a decade ago, declared India's star-studded batting unit was capable of threatening the 300-run mark each time they faced the New Zealand attack during the five-match one-day series.

Only rain prevented India justifying the 30-year-old's prediction in Napier on Tuesday night, the tourists' settling for 273 for four from 38 overs.

But with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Sehwag himself in damaging form -- and Sachin Tendulkar emerging from acclimatisation mode -- the world's third-ranked side are approaching tomorrow's second day-nighter here at Westpac Stadium supremely confident.

They were drubbed 5-2 in their last ODI series on New Zealand soil in 2002-03 but Sehwag -- one of few Indians to depart with his reputation and statistics intact -- sensed a different outcome this time.

"The wickets are easier to bat on than 2003, the grounds are small and the ball is not doing much -- it's not swinging or seaming.

"If we are careful at the beginning, we are confident of scoring 300 every time."

The Indians were troubled by a succession of greenish pitches six years ago but feel at home on flat drop-in wickets.

"This time the ball is coming on to the bat nicely, flat and hard. The last time we didn't get this kind of wicket."

Sehwag's ODI record -- 6370 runs at a strikerate of 100.64 runs per hundred balls -- suggests he is comfortable on any surface.

His 77 off 56 balls at McLean Park already has him on track to better his 299-run haul in 2003.

"I'm very happy, the way I batted in the Twenty20 I realised I had to stay there for at least 10-15 overs -- if I do we are in a good position to score big runs."

Sehwag was diplomatic when asked about the quality of the New Zealand attack, noting Kyle Mills and Jacob Oram were returning from injury while Ian Butler and Iain O'Brien were relative novices at ODI level.

[steveaustin]

Anwar - great escape :lol:

Viru irukkira varaikkum endha record-umE safe illa. Next match-la kooda Viru veeru kondu ezhundhu 30 over-layE 200 adichAlum Achariapada ondrum illa. At present, Viru is a nightmare for the bowlers of international cricket. However, I am not ruling out Sachin at any time till his retirement.

But as of now Sehwag is the most dangerous batsman in international cricket than any other. Yuvi is closely following Sehwag is my hindsight.

[Sourav]

[tscii:8ce277588d]
ஷேவாக்கை கண்டு நடுங்குகிறோம் - வெட்டோரி :rotfl:


இந்திய அதிரடி மன்னன் ஷேவாக்குக்கு பந்து வீசவே தங்களது பந்து வீச்சாளர்கள் அச்சப்படுவதாக நியூசிலாந்து அணியின் கேப்டன் டேனியல் வெட்டோரி தெரிவித்தார். நேற்றைய ஆட்டம் ரத்தான பிறகு அவர் நிருபர்களிடம் கூறியதாவது:
ஷேவாக் மிகச்சிறந்த வீரர். சிறந்த ஆட்டக்காரர்கள், அவர்களுக்கு எதிராக எத்தகைய திட்டங்களை வகுத்தாலும் அதனை தவிடுபொடியாக்கி விடுவார்கள். இதே போல் தான் ஷேவாக்கும். எங்களது பந்து வீச்சாளர்கள் ஷேவாக்கை கண்டு பயப்படவில்லை. ஆனால் பந்தை அவர் எந்த திசையில் அடிப்பாரோ? என்ற அச்சத்துடனேயே பந்து வீசுகிறார்கள். அவர் அடுத்து என்ன செய்வார்? எப்படி அடிப்பார்? என்பதை கணிக்க முடியவில்லை. பந்துகளை நாலாபக்கமும் ஓட விடுகிறார். அவருக்கு பிறகும் தரமான வீரர்கள் இந்திய அணியில் இருக்கிறார்கள். இதனால் அவர் சுதந்திரமாக விளையாடுகிறார். எனவே பவுலர்கள் சரியான திசையில் பந்து வீசுவதில் அதிகம் கவனம் செலுத்தி அவரை கட்டுப்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்றார்.
:boo:

Source: Dailythanthi dated 07-03-09[/tscii:8ce277588d]

[Sourav]

Taylor admires 'nightmare' Sehwag

If Ross Taylor was a dispassionate cricket spectator, he admits he too would be caught up in the `wow' factor associated with India's Virender Sehwag.

On the eve on the third one-day international against the in-form Indians - a game New Zealand must win to keep the series alive - one of the Black Caps' most eye-catching strokemakers confessed a grudging admiration for Sehwag's ability to toy with and torment opposing bowling attacks.

Despite being partnered by star batsman Sachin Tendulkar at the top of the Indian order, Sehwag is arguably the show stopper as India attempt to bat themselves into an unbeatable position at AMI Stadium on Sunday (2pm).

Sehwag plundered 77 from 56 balls to kickstart India's 53-run win in Napier on Tuesday, while on Friday night in Wellington his 54 from 36 had the crowd in raptures until an incorrect umpiring decision ended another staggering assault before the contest was washed out.

Taylor, responsible alongside Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder and Martin Guptill for negating Sehwag's contribution, said had he not been fielding in the covers, he would also marvelled at the 30-year-old's ability to turn good or poor balls into boundaries.

"You've got the team aspect and you're wanting to get him out -- and at the same time there's a bit of a `wow' factor about watching it," he said.

"I'm sure the New Zealand public are pleased at the way he's batted. From a spectacle point of view it's an amazing thing to watch but from a player's point of view, hopefully we don't get to see it (tomorrow)."

Sabotaging onslaught

Whether the New Zealand bowlers are capable of sabotaging another onslaught remains to be seen after two failed attempts.

On his last visit to Christchurch, Sehwag smacked the first three balls he faced on tour in the opening Twenty20 on to the construction site at square leg -- and that inviting boundary is certain to be targeted again.

Taylor, who confessed he was happy not to be a front line bowler, said New Zealand had formulated plans to curb Sehwag -- but the implementation had been lacking.

"If we bowl tight areas we can restrain him, but we have to hit that five or six balls an over to put him under pressure consistently."

Taylor also rued a couple of half chances that went begging: in both games early aerial slogs fell within range of Iain O'Brien in the deep, while Taylor had an opportunity to run Sehwag out last night as his mobility was affected by a calf strain.

Sehwag is not alone in taking toll off New Zealand's attack - Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina have already notched fifties in the series - so it was no secret the seam bowlers line and length had to tighten.

"We're being punished square and all the New Zealand grounds are pretty small square (of the wicket)," Taylor said.

"We have to try to get them to hit down the ground a bit more. It gives us more opportunities and it's easier to set a field to as well."

NZ regroup

Bowling issues aside, Taylor said New Zealand camp remained confident of regrouping and not conceding their first ODI series at home since Australia won the Chapell-Hadlee Trophy in 2005.

Since then New Zealand have won six and drawn one series.

"We've been in this situation against the West Indies (in January) and we've come out winning the must-win games.

Taylor was at the crease in Napier, in the rain, when New Zealand won the decider by nine runs to shade the five-match series 2-1.

`We're still in with a sniff even though we haven't played as well as we'd have liked in the first couple of games," he said.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori did not travel south with the team but will rejoin the squad after diverting to Auckland to spend time with his heavily pregnant wife Mary.

Jeetan Patel was named yesterday as cover, but Vettori is expected to play on Sunday - though his participation in games three and four in Hamilton and Auckland may be affected by impending fatherhood.

The Indian camp are remaining tight-lipped on the status of Ishant Sharma (shoulder) and the extent of Sehwag's calf strain, an impediment that saw him end last night's innings with a runner.
Link. (http://tvnz.co.nz/cricket-news/taylor-admires-nightmare-sehwag-2524592)

[Sourav]

Sehwag, Tendulkar could hit 200: McCullum
New Zealand opener Brendon McCullum picked West Indies skipper Chris Gayle, Indian opener Virender Sehwag and master blaster Sachin Tendulkar as players capable of scoring a double hundred in limited overs cricket. “Gayle, Sehwag and Tendulkar are capable of scoring a double. I’m sure we will see that soon,” said McCullum.
[tscii:03f5c343e3]
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F11&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01601&AppName=1[/tscii:03f5c343e3]

[Sourav]

VIRU.... :D :) :shock: :mrgreen: :P :thumbsup: :tongueout: :bluejump: :redjump: :fishgrin: :froggrin: :musicsmile: :slurp: :smokesmile: :smokesmirk: :swinghead: :yakyak: :victory: :yes: :2thumbsup: :cool2: :bow: :bow: :bow:
Fastest ODI century for an indian player.

[directhit]

List of fastest ODI hundreds:
Afridi - 37 balls vs Sri Lanka
Boucher 44 balls vs Zimbabwe
Lara - 45 balls vs Bangladesh
Afridi - 45 balls vs India
Jayasuriya 48 balls vs Pakistan
Jayasuriya - 55 balls vs Bangladesh
Sehwag - 60 balls vs New Zealand
Azhar - 62 balls vs New Zealand

Interestingly Sehwag's hundred is also the fastest on New Zealand soil beating the previous record of 67 balls by Craig McMillan versus Australia at Hamilton in 2007

[directhit]

Sehwag is the only Indian player to hit 3 hundreds in ODIs on New Zealand soil

[ThalaNass]

Wow congrats Viru :D

[sgokulprathap]

Congrats Sehwag. :clap: :thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Sehwag is in astonishing form. Sehwag and Gambhir reminds me Sachin and Ganguly days.
:clap: :clap:

[Sourav]

http://www.dailythanthi.com/thanthiepaper/1132009/Shavagpg10.jpg

Avanavan right hand-la bat panave mukkuraan...thalaivan practicing in left hand... :lol:

:bow:

[littlemaster1982]

23 over-la team score-ae 125 varaadhu. Aana Sehwag :shock: :notworthy:

[Sourav]

Hamilton, Mar 11 (PTI) New Zealand's failure to find an answer to explosive opener Virender Sehwag has cost them the ongoing one-day series against India, hosts' skipper Daniel Vettori said today.

"It was a good old fashioned hiding. There is no other word to explain it. We were pretty inept with the ball again. And we haven't found an answer to Sehwag and that is going to be the difference between the two sides," the New Zealand captain said after the blistering 75-ball 125 that Sehwag scored to guide India to a win in the fourth one-dayer.

"I think Sehwag played exceptionally well, though we bowled a little bit better than we had in the earlier games. But it wasn't good enough to compete against him. We were just not consistent enough and when you play on such small ground you have to be inch perfect," added Vettori Asked whether the current Indian batting line-up was the best he has bowled against, Vettori said, "It is a very impressive line-up. But it is tough to say that it is the best I have played against. The top four players are complimented by the rest of the team. They allow the other players to be aggressive." "Sehwag is the key to all as he puts other teams off their game. The others guys can play around him. And when he is in form like this it becomes incredibly difficult to compete against him and so the key thing is to get his wicket," said Vettori. PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/A94AF46F42964652652575760042D3A2?OpenDocument

[Sourav]

Top Performer: Virender Sehwag

New Delhi: It was one of the most destructive batting performances in recent times. Virender sehwag, enhancing his reputation as one of the most dangerous players in world cricket, the seventh fastest century in the history of ODI cricket in Hamilton in the fourth ODI against New Zealand.

The Seddon Park crowd witnessed the home side get annihilated by Sehwag, who smashed his hundred in just 60 balls and thus beating Mohammad Azharuddin to score the fastest ton by an Indian.

The incessant rain did not deter Sehwag who finished with a blazing 125 not out from 74 balls that included 14 boundaries and six sixes.

Sehwag sizzled to score his third century in New Zealand and hence, authoring India's win in the fourth ODI, which handed out India a series win with a game remaining.

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/top-performer-virender-sehwag/38979-25.html

[MrIndia]

vettori: outside off stump la pota adikiraanu theriyudhilla.. short or full body line bowling podu
bowlers: yo avan enga potaalum adikuraaan :D

gud stuff from india... :D nice to see the consistency

[Sourav]

[tscii:0f3a37b297]Probably 500 would’ve been challenging: Vettori :lol:
Kiwi Skipper Bowled Over By Sehwag Show[/tscii:0f3a37b297]
Bobilli Vijay Kumar I TNN

Hamilton: If Virender Sehwag is spectacular on the field, he is even more delightful off it. He doesn’t make too many appearances at press conferences; but when he does, he floors everybody with his rustic charm, cross-connection answers and sheer bravado.
“Yea, it must be very challenging for them,” he replied, when asked if he found the Kiwi bowlers challenging at all, after his sensational 125 not out. “They are bowling into my body and I’m playing hook and pull shots to get boundaries. There is no other way to bowl to me,” he added.
Did he ever feel during the innings that their bowlers were completely down and out? “Oh yea, at least two-three times. But it’s not just them. I have seen the Australian, South African and English bowlers feel that way too,” he said nonchalantly.
Do you feel sorry for the captain or bowlers, when you bat like that? “Oh yea,” he admitted, without bothering to explain. So are you the most destructive batsman in world cricket today? “No. I don’t think so,” he said, trying to project a modest face.
Is it possible to get a 200 in One-dayers? “Definitely. As long as you are playing in New Zealand,” he said.
As soon as it appeared like he was belittling their bowlers, he added: “The wickets are so small that you can do it here.”
Sehwag was also asked if he had changed his approach to batting in recent times. Earlier you used to get out after making 30, 40, after a blazing start… “Not at all. I still bat the same way. I try and hit every ball even now. It’s just that at times you are lucky and manage to reach a 100. A number of times you are not so lucky,” he explained.
“Today though, I got to my 100 without giving a chance,” he said. “It was a chanceless knock,” he added, to make his point clearer. So is this your best innings by far? “It has to be. I came back unbeaten, didn’t I,” he asked, with all innocence.
“I am happy because I managed to hook and pull in this innings. I don’t know how or where these strokes come from,” he admitted. “The rain might have helped a bit.”
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, on the other hand, had no hesitation in his mind about Sehwag’s place. “He was the difference between the two sides. It was nothing but a good oldfashioned hiding,” he said. “I was quite happy with the start that we got. But we gave away too many dot ball to their spinners. In the end, however, it would have been a good contest only if we had scored 500. Nothing less,” he quipped.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F12&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01601&AppName=1

[Sourav]

WHO’S THIS MAN? New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori seems to run out of ideas as Virender Sehwag (C) celebrates his record-breaking century on Wednesday [tscii:b0efca925c]
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F12&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Pc01608&AppName=1[/tscii:b0efca925c]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F12&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00104&AppName=1

[directhit]

[tscii:cff8dc5816]
Did he ever feel during the innings that their bowlers were completely down and out? “Oh yea, at least two-three times. But it’s not just them. I have seen the Australian, South African and English bowlers feel that way too,” he said nonchalantly. :lol: :thumbsup:[/tscii:cff8dc5816]

[Sourav]

Sehwag: The James Bond of world cricket
Anand Philar | Thursday, 12 March , 2009, 11:25

I would say that Sehwag is cricketing version of James Bond (minus the smoking guns, fast cars and women of course!). The innings of 125 not out at Hamilton against the hapless New Zealand perhaps best underlined the fact that he is undoubtedly the most destructive batsman in world cricket at the moment, not just in ODIs or T20s, but also in Test matches.

Barely three seasons ago, we were criticizing Sehwag for not being responsible enough and a refusal to mend his approach and attitude to batting. He was even dropped briefly first from the ODI squad and then the Tests before he returned a changed man. The fact was that in the ODIs, he went through a lean spell, the worst of which was a 22-innings period when he notched just two half-centuries and a hundred.

As to how much he has “readjusted” his game and willingly shouldered responsibility can be gauged from the fact that in the last 20 innings, he scored 10 half-centuries and three centuries to firmly establish himself as the most critical component in the Indian ODI juggernaut that seems to be on a golden roll at the moment.

In Hamilton, Sehwag reveled in the kind of freedom that is given to few batsmen. Being told to “hit the ball”, Sehwag took the instructions in its literal sense to reduce the Kiwi bowlers to a set of schoolboys. Innovation and sheer “old fashioned” slog interspersed with genuine cricketing shots marked the fastest century by an Indian. He was back in the “zone”, untroubled by the irritating rain interruptions. It was a day when he could do no wrong.

Sehwag has often made it known that he is not a student of technique or convention. The very simplicity of his approach to batting that is often mistaken for arrogance and “attitude”, is his obvious strength that is backed by an excellent hand-eye co-ordination as also an intuitive judgment of length. Add to that the much talked about “bat speed” that lends an extra punch to his shots. And footwork? Sehwag might ask: “What’s that?”

Quite the best thing about Sehwag is that his mind is uncluttered. He is not too much into records and stuff. He loves his batting and loves more to smash the ball to pieces. Like James Bond, he is quick on the draw and his batting thrives in the fast lane.

Interestingly, Sehwag’s arrival on the international scene coincided with Tendulkar’s peak, some 10 years ago. At that time, the Indian team was all about Sachin who had set the cricketing world alight with his big-hitting and, more importantly, consistency. Sub-consciously, Sehwag modeled his batting on Sachin whom to this day he hero worships.

There was a time when Sehwag first opened the ODI innings with Sachin, it was difficult to tell the two apart. They are almost of the same height and certain shots that Sehwag played had the mark of Sachin. But then, it needed some maturity to harness the raw talent. Not given to doing an extra lap of the ground or an additional 30 minutes in the gym, it was not long before Sehwag was made to realize that his reluctance to walk the extra mile was a strict no-no.

Thus, it was not long before Sehwag found himself out in the cold, dropped from the Indian ODI and Test teams for a spell in domestic cricket and nets. To India’s good fortune, he worked hard at his game during this period and as he was to admit, marriage and fatherhood coupled with the passing away of his father, transformed Sehwag as a man.

And now, he seems to enjoy his role as a point man of Indian team in all formats of the game. With his special ability to provide a good start and blunt the bowling to allow the other batsmen to consolidate, Sehwag has become an indispensable commodity. For me, far more than the two triple centuries, the innings of 83 at Chennai against England when India successfully chased 386, has been his most precious contribution to Indian cricket.

The daring and uninhibited strokeplay with utter disregard to the bowlers stood out in bold relief on that fourth evening at Chepauk. The innings followed the two half-centuries at Nagpur where India humbled Australia to wrap up the series 2-0.

Yes, Sehwag has come a long way in the past 10 years since his international debut. He is only 30 and with at least another four seasons in him, many more bowling attacks face his smoking gun. And like Bond, he will always finish on top despite taking a few hits along the way.

More power to his arms!
[tscii:364cc4729d]
[/tscii:364cc4729d]
http://sify.com/sports/cricket/fullstory.php?id=14868986

[sgokulprathap]

[tscii:8c3687df3b]
Is it possible to get a 200 in One-dayers? “
Definitely. As long as you are playing in New Zealand,” he said. :lol: yeppadi irundha New Zealand pitches ippadi aayiduchu.[/tscii:8c3687df3b]

[Sourav]

[tscii:27b40a76b4]
Is Sehwag now the world’s best batsman?
Avijit Ghosh | TNN

New Delhi: The write-ups that follow any substantial knock by Virender Sehwag are usually flooded with adjectives such as “explosive”, “destructive” and “bludgeoning”.
But such praise hides the truth that the Nawab of Najafgarh is a genius and, perhaps, the best batsman in the world today. When Sehwag is at the crease, anything seems possible. Like smashing the first three balls he faced on tour for sixes. When he hits the fastest ever ODI century by an Indian, it is almost expected. Facts illustrate why he is the world’s most feared batsman today.
He is the only current batsman with two Test triple tons. Both were scored at breathtaking speed against respectable attacks: Pakistan and South Africa. He is a more prolific “big” innings player than anybody else in world cricket. His last 11 hundreds have been 150 plus: 201 not out, 319, 151, 180, 254, 201, 173, 164, 155, 309 and 195.
Not one of these was against Bangladesh or Zimbabwe. Barring one, each had a strike rate of 70 plus, amazing by Test standards. The 319 against South Africa in Chennai last year came off just 304 balls. In terms of strike rate, not even Sir Donald Bradman has bettered that.
In his autobiography, Allround View, Pakistan captain Imran Khan said that a batsman must succeed on all kinds of surfaces to be classified as a genuine great. But the reason why he put Vivian Richards ahead of every other batsman in his generation was because he could dominate the bowling more than others.
Sehwag too is a dominator. In bowlers, he induces fear. No other batsman has reduced world-class bowlers to helplessness as consistently in all forms of the game as the Delhi opener. Only the finest can achieve a strike rate of 100 plus in ODIs after playing over 200 games — to be precise, 101.66 in 204 games. His overall ODI average of 34 may be modest by his own standards, but in the last 20 innings, he has averaged an astounding 60.58.
THE DOMINATOR Match-winner in all forms of game —
Test, ODI, Twenty20
Scores at breathtaking speed. ODI strike rate of 101; Test 78; Twenty20 144
Most prolific big innings player. Last 11 centuries, all 150-plus
Only current cricketer to score two Test triple centuries (against South Africa and Pakistan). Also scored fastest triple ton ever
Induces fear in every bowler. No stats but see it written on their face


THE CHANGE WITHIN
Freedom To Play Natural Game Is Secret Of Viru’s Success

Auckland: Not too long ago, Virender Sehwag used to be a confused soul: he would bat so consummately in Test matches, so rapidly in fact, that he just didn’t know what to do in One-dayers.
His solution to the problem was as simple as it was amusing: he played faster, even more aggressively, with an eye on the scoreboard and the depleting overs. Not too surprisingly, he would blaze away to a 30 or 40 and, then, burn out in the process. The truth is he was competing with a higher cousin; he was constantly trying to surpass his Test model and falling short. Forced pressures and unreal urgencies tend to have such an effect even on the most phlegmatic of creatures.
But then, luckily, cricket itself changed: Twenty20 made an appearance and cut down a game’s life by more than half. Now, a match was won or lost in the blink of an eye, in one over. Sehwag, who grew up playing similar versions, probably saw light then.
“I used to try and hit every ball out of the park during those days. We had only 60 deliveries to face and we had to make the most of each of them,” he explained. He probably brought the same philosophy into the One-dayers without even realizing it. “I haven’t changed my game too much,” he insisted, even as his winning quotient is increasing by the day. “If you see, I still try and hit every ball. It is all about luck, in fact,” he philosophized, adding, “a number of times you are not lucky. So you get out early.”
It is not all about luck though. Sehwag is enjoying the freedom the current management, and indeed lineup, is offering him. “The captain and coach, both, have asked me to play my natural game. So I am not worried any more,” he said.
With freedom and power, of course, comes responsibility. “I know that I just need to be at the wicket for 10-15 overs,” he had said, in the earlier part of the tour. “That is good enough for us to win. So I keep that in mind while I am batting.”
This is not arrogance though; it is not disdain for the opposition either: he just believes in attacking the ball, in hitting fours and sixes, that is all. The fact that he has a shot, and enough time, for every ball is the key difference. Short: cut or pull; full: drive, to long-off or long-on; wide: slash; into his body: flick.
Today, he has become so destructive and effective that a few questions are howling for attention: Is Sehwag the batsman overshadowing Sachin Tendulkar the run-machine? Is he, on current form, better than the master himself ?
Well, answers themselves are hiding in embarrassment: Tendulkar, as everybody knows, has been on top of his game for close to two decades; he towers over all, at least among batsmen of the current generation. Yes, Sehwag was devastating in the fourth One-dayer in Hamilton; but then, wasn’t Tendulkar equally effective in the earlier one? In fact, but for a jealous twitch in the abdomen, he would have probably even become the first to reach a double hundred in this format.
Without doubt, Sehwag is much more destructive than any batsman: but when he gets going, the bowlers get overawed, allowing his own mates to take advantage of the situation; when Tendulkar gets going, his partners get overawed, giving the bowlers a chance.
Therein lies the difference; Sehwag is uni-dimensional, a boundaryman from start to go; Tendulkar is like a chameleon: he can change his shape and form as per the situation, the surroundings. Comparing the two is as meaningless as it is an exercise in futility.
Let us hope that confusion stays away from Sehwag for ever.



Sehwag’s grammar is his very own
Avijit Ghosh | TNN

New Delhi: Virender Sehwag is probably the best batsman in the world today.
But what really makes Sehwag special isn’t his strikerate or his shot-making skills. It is the fact that he has succeeded on his own terms. Rather than blindly follow the coaching manual, he has only taken what suited him most and in the process created a grammar uniquely his own: head still, feet still but eyes lightning quick. Add to that immaculate hand-body co-ordination and loads of self-belief.
And he has succeeded on every surface — in South Africa, Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka. His debut ton came on a seaming pitch in Bloemfontein against the fearsome pace attack of South Africa. In Sri Lanka last year, when the Fab Four fumbled, he led the way.
In a land where an overwhelming majority of cricket gurus display an obsession with grammar and purity, it is not hard to understand why Sehwag hasn’t yet been feted and fawned upon. It is only when those who create the ideology of batsmanship — what constitutes greatness — see him as the creator of an new paradigm, rather than a rulebreaker, will they be able to appreciate his greatness.



http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F13&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00101&AppName=1

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F13&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01600&AppName=1

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F13&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01607&AppName=1[/tscii:27b40a76b4]

[Sourav]

[tscii:20ae417289]ஓய்வு பெற்றதால் நான் தப்பித்தேன் :lol:
ஷேவாக் அதிரடி ஆட்டம் அக்ரம் வியப்பு

புதுடெல்லி, மார்ச்.13
ஹாமில்டனில் நேற்று முன்தினம் நடந்த நியூசிலாந்துக்கு எதிரான 4&வது ஒரு நாள் கிரிக்கெட் போட்டியில் இந்திய தொடக்க ஆட்டக்காரர் ஷேவாக் அதிரடியாக ஆடி 60 பந்துகளில் சதம் அடித்ததுடன் 125 ரன்கள் குவித்து ஆட்டம் இழக்காமல் இருந்தார். அவர் நியூசிலாந்து வீரர்களின் பந்து வீச்சை நாலாபுறமும் விளாசி தள்ளினார். இதனால் பவுலர்கள் என்ன செய்வது என்று தெரியாது திகைத்தனர். நியூசிலாந்து அணி கேப்டன் வெட்டோரி, ஷேவாக்கை எப்படி கட்டுப்படுத்துவது என்று தெரியாமல் திணறுவதாக தெரிவித்து இருந்தார்.
இந்த நிலையில் பாகிஸ்தான் அணியின் முன்னாள் கேப்டனும், வேகப்பந்து வீச்சாளருமான வாசிம் அக்ரம் அளித்த ஒரு பேட்டியில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:
ஷேவாக்கின் அதிரடி ஆட்டத்தை எவ்வளவு நேரமும் ரசித்து பார்க்கலாம். நல்ல வேளையாக நான் கிரிக்கெட்டில் இருந்து ஓய்வு பெற்று விட்டேன். இதற்காக கடவுளுக்கு நன்றி தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறேன். இல்லையெனில் அவர் எனது பந்து வீச்சை எப்படி எல்லாம் புரட்டி எடுத்து இருப்பாரோ? அதனால் எனது விதி எப்படி எல்லாம் மாறி இருக்குமோ? என்று தெரியாது. அடித்து ஆடுவது தான் உண்மையான கிரிக்கெட் ஆட்டம். இப்படி எந்த ஒரு பேட்ஸ்மேனும் அடித்து ஆட தொடங்கினால் ஒரு நாள் போட்டியில் அதுவும் பவர்பிளேயில் பந்து வீசுவது என்பது இயலாத காரியமாகி விடும். பவர்பிளேயில் ஷேவாக் ஆட்டம் கொடூரமாக இருந்தது.
இவ்வாறு அக்ரம் கூறியுள்ளார்.
Source: Dailythanthi dated 13-03-2009[/tscii:20ae417289]

[Sourav]

[tscii:4c601ed0ba]
Sehwag: Another master blaster?
New Delhi, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 M Shamsur Rabb Khan

Cool, composed and smiling, this is Virendra Sehwag or Viru, as he is lovingly called, when walks out to bat in the middle of the ground millions of fans across the country are dead sure, runs will come by, not in 1s and 2s but it will rain and rain non-stop. Such is his belligerent and perfection to hit the ball all around the ground, tearing apart any bowler of any class from any country.

A very subtle point about Sehwag is his quick perception to read the ball and the fraction of second with which he strikes it – either on the off side or on the on side.

First time when I saw him it seemed as if another Sachin is batting. This is what he used to appear on the pitch, and there were times when it was little difficult to distinguish between Sachin and Sehwag when the camera showed them from a little distance. But then, Sehwag, the only Indian cricketer to have scored two triple centuries (319 against South Africa in 2008 and 309 against Pakistan in 2004) , metamorphosed into a hard hitting, perfect batsman Team India banks upon. He has a style, which is distinct, attacking and carefree.

Playing at number 6, Sehwag, in his Test début scored 105 runs at Bloemfontein, South Africa on November 3, 2001. It was followed by a decision to open the innings in Tests on the tour of England in 2002, Sehwag proved an instant hit. He scored 80 and 100 in the first two matches against England. Since then, there has been no stopping. So far, he has played 66 Test and more than 200 ODIs with great professional commitment. Bowlers are never breathless when Sehwag is on the crease, and his wicket is no less than a prize for every opposite skippers, as they know the more time he spends on the crease the greater is the danger for them.

By his body language, Viru does not look aggressive genius, and unlike other cricketers, who openly show attacking posture, he has fire from within. The sheer power with which he dispatches the ball to the boundary is scintillating to watch. It is difficult to read his mind. Simple and devoid of any arrogance and egoistical temperament, Sehwag has some good attributes and natural honesty. Even in tense situations, there has not been a single time that Sehwag, unlike other greats, appeared nervous: he played his natural game, and perhaps he never pays attention to the overall effect on the results. This is what he did in the 4th ODI against New Zealand in the current series when he went on to beat a record of scoring hundred in the least ball, which was held by ex-skipper Azharuddin. His 125 off 74 balls was among his best of innings.

In August 2008, at Galle, Sehwag made 201 off 231 balls (out of India’s 329) in the second Test against Sri Lanka. About that innings, Sehwag said, rather jokingly, that he was worried about Muttiah Muralitharan, not Ajantha Mendis. But how did Sehwag manage to hit Muralitharan’s doosra regularly through the covers? Listen what he says: "That was because I couldn’t pick up his doosra – each ball, I told myself that this is the doosra, so I thought I was hitting with the spin – even the off-spinning balls – when I hit through the off."

Sehwag plays cricket with limitless spirit and enjoys every moment on the crease busy in hitting the ball. He possesses absolute conviction, and an irresistible hunger for runs, which is what makes him so special. Sehwag makes battling look so simple, while others struggle. He has nothing like “initial hiccup.” With Viru at the helm, Team India can scale many new heights in future.
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/73512
[/tscii:4c601ed0ba]


For Sehwag nothing has changed

S. Ram Mahesh

Hamilton: India’s first One-Day International series triumph in New Zealand is an achievement of significant scale, but an autopsy examining it in detail can wait.

There’s the small matter of a dead rubber —the fifth ODI in Auckland on Saturday — to be dealt with before that. What can’t wait, however, is a discussion on Virender Sehwag’s evolution into a super batsman. But he’s already super, goes the refrain.

Perhaps the statement needs rephrasing: this is an attempt to record that Sehwag has reached the stage where his mastery is all-inclusive. This is also an attempt that can swiftly and perilously get derailed by definitions of greatness. But this hasn’t the scope for a nuanced debate on greatness, so a primer must suffice.

There are all manners of greatness — frankly more than you can shake a bat at — and if you were to run a thumb down the list of batsmen, who, by common consent, have achieved greatness, you would find a wide range of talent, temperament, genius, and style. There are certain commonalities of course, but the point being made here is that greatness can be achieved without having achieved completeness.

Sehwag has considerable claims to greatness in Test cricket. But, as a pure batsman, he had yet to attain completeness. The opener’s genius has never been in doubt. Indeed, you’d be hard-pressed to find another who inspiration visits so frequently.
Unique player

There were also no doubts of his ability in adversity — both tangible, pertaining to the conditions and the bowling, and intangible, relating to circumstance. In fact, its Sehwag’s facility for natural expression under duress — a freedom of skilful stroke-making rarely seen under pressure — that makes him so unique.

But Sehwag, before this tour, hadn’t offered evidence that he was, as Barry Richards said of Sir Garfield Sobers, a 360 degrees player.

Richards had referred to both the range and the actual physical shape of Sobers’s batting, that is to say, the areas Sobers commanded in terms of where he could send a ball, and the actual act of getting the ball there, as seen from back-lift to follow-through.

If one could be so bold, one could extend the definition of the modern 360 degrees player to include, apart from range and physical shape, format. In this light, it can be seen why Sehwag might have been perceived as just short of completeness.

His method of staying beside the line, leg-side of the ball, allowed him to cleave the off-side field like few before. But it left him open to the break-back, which, without the threat of a punishing pull shot, was dispensed freely by bowlers who could. Also for some reason — he himself put it down to over-reaching — Sehwag hadn’t realised one-day returns commensurate with his ability.

From the evidence of Napier, Wellington, and Hamilton, Sehwag appears to have cured both — presumably unrelated — shortcomings.

And done so without outraging his true nature, which is the most important thing, for in remedying a dripping pipe a sink might burst.
Valuable weapon

The pull stroke is a versatile, valuable weapon, and in cultivating the stroke, Sehwag hasn’t merely added a dimension — he has transformed forever his batting.

As he said with typical economy of words, “They are bowling into my body and I’m playing my pull shot to get boundaries. There is no other way they can bowl to me.”

The pull stroke doesn’t just fetch boundaries, it draws the ball to drive, and Sehwag is a past master at driving.

How had he added the pull stroke to his repertoire?

“I don’t know how it comes or where it comes from,” said Sehwag. “But I manage to hit the ball.”

Truer words haven’t been spoken — exasperating as it may be, it’s impossible to penetrate, with the mind, the mysteries of creation.

The reasons behind his improved returns in one-day cricket are just as difficult to ascertain, so one may as well let him have the last word.

“Nothing has changed,” said Sehwag. “I still play 70-75 balls and score 100 runs, it’s just a matter of if it’s your day. If it’s your day, then you can score 100. If it’s not your day you get out.”
http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/13/stories/2009031352791700.htm

[Sourav]

Fastest ODI centuries by indians. (Top 10)

Sehwag - 60 deliveries vs NZ
Azhar - 62 deliveries vs NZ
Yuvi - 64 deliveries vs Eng
Raina - 66 deliveries vs Hongkong
Sehwag - 69 deliveries vs NZ
Sachin - 71 deliveries vs Zim
Kapil - 72 deliveries vs Zim
Yuvi - 73 deliveries vs Eng
Sehwag - 75 deliveries vs WI
Sehwag - 75 deliveries vs SL

http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/211608.html

Viru 4 times in top 10... :bow: :bow: :bow:

[Sourav]

[tscii:97363948ad]
Sehwag reminds me of Viv: Srikkanth
Chairman Of Selectors Elated At How India Are Doing Well Away
Indranil Basu | TNN

New Delhi: Is Virender Sehwag now the world’s best batsman? As the debate goes on, Srikkanth heaped praise on Sehwag and compared him to his hero Viv Richards. “I’ve been a great fan of Sehwag and I’m not surprised by his exploits in the middle. “Sehwag reminds me of Viv who has been my hero,” Srikkanth told the TOI.
With the ODI series against New Zealand won, the Indian team has now won six series on the trot, leaving Srikkanth elated. “I am really happy with the way the Indian cricketers have played since the Australia series in October. This team has shown that the players are not only good at home, but also away from home. Especially, our batsmen have shown they can score on all kinds of pitches,” Srikkanth told TOI on Friday.
“We have an explosive top order and a very reliable middle-order besides a bowling department which is capable of getting teams out. I am confident that the team will make use of this momentum to become the best in the world,” he said. Srikkanth’s predecessor Dilip Vengsarkar, whose panel took some far-reaching decisions, is also thrilled with the success of the team. “When we picked young players, we were investing in the future. We are now seeing some good results. People might have thought that we’re against some seniors but that was never the case,” Vengsarkar said.
Talking about fringe players, Vengsarkar said, “Our batting bench strength is good. But our bowling bench needs to be a little bit stronge.”
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F14&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=17&EntityId=Ar01704&AppName=1[/tscii:97363948ad]

[viraajan]

Innikum, adhe adhiradi aattam pola... hmmm... :thumbsup:

atleast 50 potturukkalam...

[Sourav]

Tendulkar amazing but Sehwag destructive: O'Brien

Hamilton (PTI): Having been spanked around the park by Virender Sehwag in the one-day internationals against India, New Zealand medium pacer Iain O'Brien picked the explosive Indian opener as more destructive than Sachin Tendulkar.

Asked to pick between Sehwag, who plundered the Kiwi attack at will while aggregating 299 runs from the five ODIs, and the imperious Tendulkar (244 in three matches), O'Brien chose the Delhi opener for his destructive abilities.

"Sehwag's pretty amazing, isn't he? He has been destructive. Though Tendulkar was amazing in Christchurch, I would pick Sehwag," he said.

O'Brien, who managed just three wickets in the ODI series, said he was hoping for an easier time in the Test series that starts March 18.

"In Test cricket you can bowl to individual plans for a longer period. When you have got more traditional batters, it makes life little bit less exciting. But it makes my job a little bit easier," said O'Brien.

"I love playing Test cricket, though I enjoy one-day cricket too. Test cricket is where I want to make myself a name and I am looking forward to it."

Despite his lackluster show in the ODIs, O'Brien said his career has not slipped back.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200903151523.htm

[Sourav]

[tscii:342f68fd20]

Tendulkar a legend, Sehwag wil be soon!
http://cricketnext.in.com/news/tendulkar-a-legend-sehwag-will-be-one-soon/39083-13.html
Bangalore: Even though Virender Sehwag has himself admitted that batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is in a different league as a batsman, it is quite natural that the two will be compared especially after the Delhi dasher mesmerized New Zealand bowlers with his range of shots to win the just concluded One-Day series 3-1.

Former Indian manager-cum-coach during the triumphant World Twenty20 in South Africa a couple of year ago, Lalchand Rajput, who has been a great admirer of both the batsmen, said Tendulkar is already a legend while Sehwag is on his way to becoming one.

“I don’t like to compare two of India’s most destructive batsmen as it is definitely not fair. However, I should say that after being fortunate enough to watch both of them from close quarters, I can confidently say that Sachin is already a legend while Sehwag is on his way to becoming one. It is the Indian cricket fans who are truly fortunate to have seen both in full flow during the tour of New Zealand so far,” Rajput told Cricketnext.com on Saturday.

“Probably, the Twenty20 and the ODIs are tailor-made for a batter like Sehwag while Tendulkar can adjust to any format. Unfortunately Tendulkar is not very keen about representing the country in the shortest format and I do respect him for that but if he had decided to be part of India’s Twenty20 campaign, I am sure he would have been as successful as he is in other formats of the game,” the former Indian opener added.

“The total commitment shown by the two masters to the game is something that every budding cricketer should learn and Tendulkar’s presence in the team has had a big impact on all the youngsters. It has not only helped Sehwag to bloom completely but also the other youngsters to believe in themselves as the recent performances suggests,” Rajput, who was in charge of the Indian team before the present coach Gary Kirsten took over, said.[/tscii:342f68fd20]

[thamizhvaanan]

[tscii:219e2b356f]scriptures of sehwagology


‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, but if he bowls a wide half volley hit it like it stole your donkey or ox.’

:lol:

http://www.cricketwithballs.com/2008/04/03/the-scriptures-of-sehwagology/[/tscii:219e2b356f]

[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F03%2F27&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=19&EntityId=Ar01901&AppName=1

[Sourav]

how dare u bashing sehwag. he is a real match winner not a match saver. if sehwag plays instead of gambir innings that would be match winning innings.he is the only man in the team always goes for a win. many matches won by viru's effort. remember he also played a match saving innings in austrilla scored 150* runs and saved the match for us.and what about his 200* in srilanka. he refused a run while batting 199 with 11th batsman. he is a selfless player in the world history...just see his records,if sehwag scores century india never lost the match..even 90% times india won the match.
From rediff comments sec...

[littlemaster1982]

[tscii:f634fbc0c6]With batsmen like Sehwag, it’s always all or nothing (http://cricket.expressindia.com/news/with-batsmen-like-sehwag-its-always-all-or-nothing/442343/)

Harsha Bhogle

Exhibit One is shortish, tubbyish, balding and very very Delhi. Exhibit Two is tall, lean, muscular, a rebellious South African in English colours. Intriguingly, they have a very similar approach to the game. Few other cricketers can pull in as many people to watch a cricket match and then have them on the edge of their seat all day. Sehwag seems to hit the cover off every ball and yet his last eleven Test hundreds have each been in excess of 150. Pietersen seeks to impose himself on the game every ball and isn’t too far away from the odd daft shot but no one, apart from the Don, got to 4000 Test runs faster. For people who carry a self-destruct button as closely as a terrorist would a cyanide capsule, they have crafted extraordinary careers.
Sehwag has embraced risk the way a seeker does his faith. Or maybe we have been looking at risk differently over the years. That is what the pioneers do; they question established thought. It is an approach that has worked exceptionally well with him and indeed, now defines him as a person. And yet, every few innings we moan over his choice of shots, we exhort him to be more judicious; we tear our hair out in frustration. We want bits of Sehwag, not the whole person, almost as if he were a roast chicken and we could choose the parts we wanted. We can’t. With Sehwag, as with everyone else really, we buy into the whole person, into the package. If it isn’t acceptable, we discard the package but we cannot pick and choose.

And so we want him to play that incredible fourth innings 83 against England at Chennai, in a very small shortlist of his best performances, but can’t fathom his shot when India have to bat two days and a bit to save a Test match. We want it both ways; some days we want him to cut loose and gape at him and at others we want him to bat two days and scream at him if he doesn’t. We cannot accept that fact that he is different, that if he is told not to get out he won’t score a run.

It would be an easy, if slightly boring, world if everyone could be the way we wanted them to be. “Sehwag, bat 2 days to save this Test, Manmohan Singh, erect statues of yourself in every city, Fardeen Khan, act!” Life would be a beautiful buffet but it isn’t. If you are chasing a target Sehwag is your man, if you want someone to bat for your life, get Rahul Dravid. You need both. If we ask them to be different, we get a different person!

So too it is with Kevin Pietersen who is all aggression, all ego, all “Pietersen-centric” as the English media now refers to his view of the world. Why can’t he be a bit different at times, they ask. A little more discreet maybe? A little more correct, a little more, what shall we say, acceptable? Appropriate? Effectively, we are asking, why can’t he be a bit more like a Strauss sometimes? Doesn’t Strauss come from South Africa as well? So then...?

The ego, the aggression, the latent lack of belonging and the consequent larger-than-life portrayal define Pietersen. That is how he is. He will play a breathtaking innings one moment and shoot his mouth off the next but that is the package we buy into.

As journalists, commentators, or just observers, we are often called upon to comment on people’s performances. And very often, in our minds, we create this perfect entity; the dash of Sehwag, the composure of Tendulkar, the patience of Dravid, the dignity of Laxman, the elegance of Ganguly. Indeed we create God himself and arrayed against this epitome of perfection we search for shortcomings. Sehwag shouldn’t have played that ball, Dravid should have stepped on it earlier, Laxman should have moved his feet more....

Maybe we should accept people for who they are, indeed for what they are; for the basket of skills they bring to the table and therefore, for the deficiencies that are a part of them. Like us, but on a wider screen maybe, they will succeed and they will fail. Because that is who they are!

[/tscii:f634fbc0c6]

[Sourav]

Respect the genius

Two cheap dismissals in pursuit of sixes have suddenly made some people call Virender Sehwag an irresponsible batsman. From a match-winner whose audacious strikes to even good-length balls were being hailed as strokes of genius, he is now being castigated for being reckless and not playing in the team's interests.

Funny how perceptions change from one extreme to another because of the premium we seem to place on success. We live in times where the success percentage has to be 100 for you to be any good. Had Bradman lived in the India of today, he would've been criticized for failing to maintain an average of 100, and not been celebrated for his astounding skill.

Perhaps it is the fate of men like Sehwag — who live by the sword — that opinion about them continue to vacillate. The day they decimate bowlers with shots not found in the textbook, the world will acknowledge them as a genius. And the day they fail to conjure up strokes in defiance of batting grammar, they are berated and cautioned to play responsibly.

You can make runs the Rahul Dravid way: with sound technique as the cornerstone on which to build a skilful, patient innings.

You can make runs the Sachin Tendulkar way: striking a fine balance between perfect technique and daring.

And you can make runs the Virender Sehwag way: toying with technique to create strokes that put the fear of God in bowlers.

Someone like Tendulkar, who combines the skills of Dravid with the audacity of Sehwag, and also knows which method to use when, falls in the category of immortals. It is pointless discussing him.

But needless to say that in the long run, batsmen like Dravid will score more runs and have a better average than Sehwag, who is a rare breed.

His genius lies in mocking conventional wisdom that technique is central to batting success. His genius also lies in having created a path you admire but always dread to follow. He's created his own grammar, and made capital out of it.

When he hits a six to reach his hundred, we all celebrate it. When he fails to repeat the same feat and gets caught at the boundary line, we are shocked and wonder if the risk was worth taking.

The thin line between success and failure separates genius from mediocrity. In Sehwag's case, that line gets blurred too often. When he wins us matches, we hail him the greatest ever. When he fails, we feel he's made us lose, and react with anger.

Maybe the fault lies with us. We don't respect him for what he is — a path breaker and an entertainer par excellence. [tscii:60dc9915ab][/tscii:60dc9915ab]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=70cf2599-40a0-4e10-932a-703607524bc6&Headline=Respect+the+genius

[Sourav]

Wisden names Viru world’s best player :victory: :cheer: :boo: :bow: :happydance:

Dhoni Chosen Captain Of Dream Test XI :clap:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Less than a month after The Times of India hailed him as “perhaps the best batsman in the world today” on its front page, Wisden, regarded as cricket’s Bible, has declared Virender Sehwag the leading cricketer of the world in 2008.
“Sehwag is a marvel of modern times, a genius who has confounded conventional wisdom, whose daring is now a part of cricket’s folklore,” writes the cricket almanac in its 146th edition. Last year, the nawab of Najafgarh smashed 319 off 304 balls, the fastest triple century ever, against South Africa. His unbeaten 201 against Sri Lanka gave India its only Test triumph in a nightmarish series. Through the year, no other batsman achieved more mental domination over bowlers than him. Who else can begin a cricket tour hitting three sixes of the first three balls? There’s even more for Indian fans to rejoice. This year’s Wisden Test XI has five Indian cricketers. No other country has more than two.
MS Dhoni has been named the team’s captain, affirming his talismanic leadership. Sachin Tendulkar inevitably figures. So does Zaheer Khan, who’s proved lethal with old ball and new, across diverse conditions. And then there’s Harbhajan Singh, proving that he can be a serious threat even when he’s monkeying around.
India has the largest representation in the Test squad, followed by Australia (Ricky Ponting and Mitchell Johnson) and South Africa (Graeme Smith and Dale Steyn) who have two each. Flamboyant batsman Kevin Pietersen is the lone English player in the XI, while the West Indies is represented by runmachine Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Smith is Dhoni’s deputy in the side. The three selectors who picked the squad were former India captain Ravi Shastri, retired West Indian pacer Ian Bishop and former New Zealand stumper Ian Smith.
“The criteria for selection are simple: the best eleven to play a Test match, no matter the opposition, guided by performances in 2008, and taking into consideration the amount of Test cricket they played in the year, the quality of their opponents, and that indefinable blend of class and form,” Wisden said.
Wisden Test XI of 2008: Virender Sehwag (India), Graeme Smith (South Africa), Ricky Ponting (Australia), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Kevin Pietersen (England), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), Mahendra Sing Dhoni (India), Harbhajan Singh (India), Mitchell Johnson (Australia), Dale Steyn (South Africa) and Zaheer Khan (India).


http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2009%2F04%2F09&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01602&AppName=1 [tscii:1a7c284cf3][/tscii:1a7c284cf3]

[Sourav]

Asked to comment on Virender Sehwag, McGrath said the Indian opener was a devastating batsman. “I have always enjoyed bowling to Sehwag. He is a very destructive batsman and takes the game away.

“As a skipper also I rate him highly, I have played under him and I hope this time we will help him to win the cup.”

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090407/jsp/sports/story_10784861.jsp
[tscii:0898beb40c][/tscii:0898beb40c]

[directhit]

Virender Sehwag

The Leading Cricketer in the World was instituted in Wisden 2004. The five previous winners have been Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Andrew Flintoff, Muttiah Muralitharan and Jacques Kallis. Players can be chosen more than once for this award.

Virender Sehwag had to beat off the strongest of challenges by Graeme Smith to become the Leading Cricketer in the World for 2008. Sehwag did so by taking the task of opening Test innings to a new level. He sought, and often achieved, mental domination from the first ball by scoring faster than any other opening batsman has ever done on a regular basis in Test cricket: 85 runs per 100 balls in the calendar year, without any soft opponents (Smith made 488 of his Test runs against Bangladesh); Sehwag also scored at 120 per 100 balls in one-day internationals.

He hit the fastest Test triple-century ever, from only 278 balls, against South Africa. Sehwag and India softened up Australia by defeating them 2-0 in India, for Smith and South Africa to beat them in Australia :smokesmirk:. Sehwag broke a mould as well as records: he set up the highest successful run-chase in Asia, and the fourth-highest to that point, by striking England's bowlers for 83 from 68 balls at Chennai. Smith was following Sehwag's suit when, a week later, he scored 108 in his second innings at Perth to set up the highest successful run-chase in Australia, and the second-highest ever.

It would be such a shame if Virender Sehwag needed to be buttressed with figures, hugely impressive as they are. They don't convey an iota of what the stocky figure of this Delhi dasher implies at the crease for bowlers. Fours and sixes come off his bat in rapid-fire succession, as if from a machine gun, and bowlers are out of their wits before long. A certain numbness overtakes them as they run up to bowl. And then there is mayhem. :lol: :bow:

Any coach of a rival team is at risk of slipping down in the eyes of his wards as soon as he floats a plan to curb Sehwag. In eight years and 66 Tests, there have been plans aplenty. Bowl him short-pitched deliveries - he doesn't have an on-side stroke except the thrust off his pads, and his straight drives aren't his strongest point. Don't give him room on his off stump, and tuck him up with big inswingers, are other suggestions. Yet nothing works. Sehwag somehow always creates room to free his arms. The overwhelming impression is that he wants every delivery to yield him a four or six.

Yet it would be folly to view Sehwag as no more than a rampaging bull in a cricketing arena. He is a masterful judge of a single, and it doesn't matter if the ball goes no more than a few feet away. He gets off the block quickly and has the confidence to take on the world's best. He isn't just a threat to those patrolling the boundaries; he is as much a menace to those who are marking the square. The opening pair of Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are as exasperating with their running between wickets as with their inventive strokeplay.

Reputations don't matter to this most amazing of all modern cricketers, whose way of thinking is unlike any I have seen. He made a return to Test cricket in Perth at the start of 2008 and, despite being a borderline selection for the Australian tour and having been in hibernation for the best part of a year, he was as nonchalant as ever. Australia had packed their attack with four genuine fast bowlers on a track billed to be the WACA at its liveliest. No less a factor was the scorching hot and humid conditions. Sehwag's response? "Well, heat is welcome. It would mean the bowlers won't have long spells." :lol:

His mind is always working overtime on how to make bowlers lose their bearings. It was the same when, after almost two days in the field in the humidity of Chennai, he squared up to Dale Steyn, arguably the bowler of the year, and scored 319 off only 304 balls, judged by the ICC rankings as among the top ten Test innings of all time. Off his own bat Sehwag scored 257 runs on the third day, the most in modern times, against a high-class fielding side. Or when he smashed that double-hundred against Muttiah Muralitharan and freakish Ajantha Mendis, tipped to be the one who would redefine the art of spinning in years to come, and carried his bat for 201 out of India's total of 329 at Galle in July.

Sehwag is no mean off-spinner either, and has a five-for against Australia to prove it. Ego doesn't have any part in his mental make-up, and he rejoices as much in the success of a young mate as he applauds the milestones of a master like Sachin Tendulkar. He isn't the kind to hold grudges. And he only turned 30 in October 2008.

Sehwag is unorthodox, yet his batting skills vouch for the soundness of the time-tested art of batsmanship. Head completely still and movement of feet only once the ball is delivered. The only other player in the last decade who can be compared to him is Sanath Jayasuriya, but Sehwag is tighter and plays straighter, and hence is more consistent in all conditions, as shown by the fact that he has extended the last 11 of his 15 Test centuries to date past 150. His hand-eye co-ordination, grooved on the smooth concrete driveway beside the family home on the outskirts of Delhi, is freakish, and it allows him to predetermine his strokes. Virender Sehwag is a marvel of modern times, a genius who has confounded conventional wisdom, whose daring is now a part of cricket's folklore.

http://content.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/398689.html

[Sourav]

The Leading Cricketer in the World was instituted in Wisden 2004. The five previous winners have been Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Andrew Flintoff, Muttiah Muralitharan and Jacques Kallis. Players can be chosen more than once for this award.
So, VIRU is the first indian player to get this award! :bow:

[Sourav]

No.1, why not: Virender Sehwag
Vijay Tagore

Mumbai: Virender Sehwag tells DNA that playing for India is a bigger honour than the Wisden award and he would rather be consistent than dangerous. Excerpts:

India won both ODI and Test series. What does that mean for the team?
It's a great feeling to be winning the series after a long time in New Zealand. We are one of the best teams in the world with ability to get better. The secret of our success is that every single batsman scored runs and every single bowler took wickets. It was a great collective effort. We can become the No. 1 team if we continue playing like this. It is a challenge for us and we are ready for it.

You have played for India for about nine years. Is this the best team you played in?
Yes, I can say that with conviction and authority. This is the best team I've played in.

India adjusted in New Zealand very well. You have done well in most countries. Can you say the alien conditions are no longer a worry after some stage in a cricketer's career?
That's right. I don't see any condition bothering me much. I have been to every country twice or thrice. That is helping me a lot. I'm using my past experience to my advantage. So the conditions no longer rattle us. We are getting used to the conditions faster.

In New Zealand the media was never tired of talking about you. They said you have taken the game to a different level.
I don't know if New Zealand were scared of me. I was playing my natural game and I was looking to score the runs the way I like to. I don't know if I have taken the game to a different level or not but to survive in international cricket you have to keep growing and improving. It's a continuous process.

There is a perception that the Kiwis trained their guns on you more than others and it helped your team in some way.
Maybe. They were worried about me and were coming after me always. They wanted to get me early because I would score runs fast. Every team goes after the attacking batsman in the other camp. We were also targeting Jesse Ryder, particularly in the Napier Test.

Your Test average is better than the ODIs. But this time it was different.
It happens. Sometimes you get going in the ODIs and miss out elsewhere.

How do you rate your Test performance? Happy, satisfied or disappointed?
It is a mixed feeling. Disappointed from a personal point of view. But I'm very happy with the team's performance and victory. It doesn't matter whether I do well or not as long as the team is winning. I would, anyway, have performed for the team and not for myself. I agree that I would have liked to score more runs in the Tests.

Given a chance would you play those shots you played in Napier again?
I was disappointed by the way I got out in the 2nd Test. Sometimes your shot selection goes awry. My shot selection was not right in Napier. I was very upset with myself.

Martin Crowe criticised your captaincy and then said sorry. Did you both speak?
I don't know what he said. I don't see television nor do I hear commentary. I don't bother about what others say.

You were named Wisden's best cricketer. It said you are the most dangerous batsman in the world.
It doesn't matter to me. I would rather want to score runs than hear that I'm the most dangerous batsman around. I want to be consistent rather than dangerous. As for the Wisden award my comment is that playing for my country is a bigger honour than bagging an award from somebody.

Gambhir is also emerging as a dangerous batsman.
After Sunil Gavaskar, Gautam Gambhir should be rated as the best Indian opener ever. He has matured as an opener. He is a regular opener who has been opening since childhood. I was never an opener and I would still prefer to play in the middle order.

Your thoughts on the IPL?
I'm looking forward to the tournament, though I would have loved to play in India.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1246917

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:8b311a9344]http://content.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/399219.html

Indian cricket

Sehwag still keen on middle order

Cricinfo staff

April 11, 2009
Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are happy after a good day's work, India v Australia, 2nd Test, Mohali, 3rd day, October 19, 2008
Virender Sehwag: "I really teased him [Gambhir] when I outscored him in the one-day series and he told me he would get back at me" © AFP

Despite his success as an opener, Virender Sehwag has said he still belongs in the middle order and would love to bat there if he got the chance. Sehwag said he had asked the team management to push him down the order when he felt he was out of form but had been told he would contribute better as an opener.

"I was a middle-order batsman who was asked to open and luckily for me, things went really well," Sehwag told Indian Express. "In fact, till date, as an opener I am just doing a job given to me by the team management. Given a choice, I would happily slide down and play in the middle-order because that's where I belong. But right now, I have a job entrusted to me and I love the responsibility, so no regrets at all."

In eight Tests in which he batted between No. 4 and No. 7, Sehwag averaged 41.55, with one century and two half-centuries. As an opener he averages 51.21 from 64 Tests.

Sehwag also said he and his opening partner Gautam Gambhir motivated themselves by placing bets on who would score faster. "I believe that a sense of competition always helps achieve your best and so we indulge in these little games. I really teased him when I outscored him in the one-day series and he told me he would get back at me. After the Test series, he's teasing me about how many more runs he scored than me."

Sehwag felt he was going through the best phase of his career as his performances had translated into wins for the team. "There are several factors surrounding these statistics -- the dressing-room atmosphere, the team-mates, coach, captain -- it's everything you could dream of." Sehwag has scored a triple-hundred, a double-hundred and five half-centuries in the 15 Tests since Gary Kirsten took over as coach in March 2008. India did not lose any of the matches in which he scored fifty or more.

© Cricinfo[/tscii:8b311a9344]

[Sourav]

http://cricket.zeenews.com/Image/2009/4/9/shewag-stats.gif
http://cricket.zeenews.com/fullstory.aspx?nid=19319

Sehwag – The Ultimate Treasure

Himanshu Shekhar

Daredevil, swashbuckling, dangerous, awesome, sensational, defiant, explosive and mesmerizing are the key words which describe Virender Sehwag’s batting. But, as a cricket writer, one is in constant search to find him the right adjective. Newspaper columnists always run the risk of sounding absurd while describing his innings, for there is always the chance of Sehwag doing something which no one would have imagined in their wildest of dreams.

His heroics, scant respect for opponents and his easy ways in tough situations always attract attention. The old school of thought latches on to every opportunity to trash his batting style, while the modern pundits hail it as the best way to go about cricket. Some, like me, are always keen to find a method in his madness.

Andy Zaltzman, a cricket satirist says in his popular blog, “If Sehwag had been a Formula One driver, he would have roared off the grid, sped away from the field, and driven straight off the track at the first corner after being distracted by an odd-shaped hat in the crowd. And if Donald Rumsfeld had been a cricket coach instead of a professional harbinger of suffering, he would have marked Sehwag down as a ‘known unknown’. The man is a global treasure.”

Zaltzman’s observation comes nearest to the Sehwag we know but when one sees his performance over the years in the longer version of the game, one begs to differ. To dub him as just a fast athlete would be an insult to his marathon victory in Multan and Chennai.

Looking at his average, one might argue that there are many with a better record. His Test average after 69 matches stands at 50.06, but that hardly is an indication of the murderous assaults he has dealt on his opponents. So when Wisden rated him as the Cricketer of the Year 2008, many felt the decision was a final recognition for this true champion of champions.

Ravi Shastri, one of the three panel judges, writes in the 2009 Wisden Alamanc; “It would be such a shame if Virender Sehwag needed to be buttressed with figures, hugely impressive as they are. They don`t convey an iota of what the stocky figure of this Delhi dasher implies at the crease for bowlers. Fours and sixes come off his bat in rapid-fire succession, as if from a machine gun, and bowlers are out of their wits before long. A certain numbness overtakes them as they run up to bowl. And then there is mayhem.”

Sehwag re-defined the art of opening in Test cricket and has records which have raised opening batting to a completely new level. Opposition often find themselves in hapless situations when Sehwag express rocks. But there is no denying the fact that his willow occasionally rubs salt to Indian injuries, as he gets himself out when least expected.

Having said that, one has to accept the fact that it’s the unpredictability of Viru which the opposition fears and the world admires.

He might not have the consistency of Sachin or flamboyance of Lara or power of Ponting, but Virender Sehwag has an audacity which no one can claim. [tscii:9043fbb4bf][/tscii:9043fbb4bf]

[Sourav]

Cold war between Dhoni, Sehwag?
Nitin Naik | TNN

London: No one’s talking about it, the team management clams up when asked about it and the players too have fingers on their lips. But reports about simmering tensions between Indian captain M S Dhoni and vice-captain Virender Sehwag are fast threatening to undermine India’s defence of the ICC World Twenty20, which begins in England on Friday.
The rumour mills are abuzz with talk that the two had an ugly confrontation during a team meeting, though it could not be independently confirmed if it was over the status of Sehwag’s shoulder injury. Neither protagonist in the drama is willing to go on record and clear the air. But Dhoni’s pregnant responses after India’s thumping nine-wicket win in their second warm-up game against arch-rivals Pakistan were a massive giveaway.
After Rohit Sharma’s match-winning 80 against Pakistan and second impressive innings as an opener (he scored 36 against New Zealand in the first warm-up match), Dhoni addressed a packed and hungry media gathering. There was a barrage of questions about Rohit continuing as an opener and the status of Sehwag’s batting position.

MSD dithers on Viru

London: India skipper MS Dhoni’s response to questions on Virender Sehwag’s shoulder injury at the media conference here on Wednesday added to the rumours that all is not well in Camp India. After Rohit Sharma’s matchwinning 80 against Pakistan, and the Mumbai batsman’s second impressive innings as an opener (he had scored 36 against New Zealand in the first warm-up match), Dhoni addressed a packed and hungry media gathering. There were a barrage of questions about Rohit continuing as an opener and the status of Sehwag’s batting position. Every question on Sehwag and his fitness or availability was treated with disdain.
‘‘It is always good to have a problem of plenty and it gives us options for the opening slot,’’ Dhoni said.
Sehwag had recently made statements about him not being an opening batsman and Rohit’s performance certainly does make the captain’s job a bit easier if Sehwag, on his return, is still reluctant to open. So what happens when Sehwag returns? ‘‘It’s tough for me to comment on that. All I can say is I’m glad to have talented players who are performing in my side,’’ Dhoni stressed.
Will the cold war mean that Sehwag has lost his place in the playing XI for good in this tourney? Wil he be a certainty in the team when he returns? ‘‘I said before, I don’t know when he will get fit. And whether he is a certainty once he gets fit, I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see how the team is shaping up,’’ Dhoni said. So how long will it take for Sehwag to get fit? ‘‘It’s a bit of a gamble with injuries. Maybe he will get fit for the game against Bangladesh (June 6) or against Ireland (June 10). I’m not really sure about it,’’ he said, advertising his disinterest.
Interestingly, Indian captains and vice-captains have always had a testy relationship. Be it Kapil-Gavaskar, Azhar-Sachin or Sourav-Rahul or Sourav-Sachin, they’ve all had issues and they spoke through the media. Dhoni with his manmanagement skills should be able to solve this one with ease. The important thing is, does he want to?
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2009/06/05&PageLabel=18&EntityId=Ar00102&DataChunk=Ar01804&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T
[tscii:1a78b17e1a][/tscii:1a78b17e1a]
:huh:

[littlemaster1982]

Konja naal munnadi Anban kooda post pannare :? Enna nadakkudhunnu puriyala :roll:

[Sourav]

Konja naal munnadi Anban kooda post pannare :? Enna nadakkudhunnu puriyala :roll:ya...nethu kooda sonnaru anban dhoni threadla....ippo than konjam periya level-la velila varuthu... nalaikku theriyum....kai-la 6 stitches pottute batting pannan viru ipl-la...paapom.

[directhit]

http://www.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?p=1810295#1810295

[Sourav]

[tscii:2620861de2]
Gavaskar to Viru: Continue opening, even in Twenty20

Nottingham: Legendary Indian opener Sunny Gavaskar has urged Virender Sehwag to continue being an opener in the Twenty20 format rather than entertain any idea of slipping down the batting order.
“If I was him, I would have continued to being an opener. I would have told myself: okay, I have done well in the Test and One-day format and now it’s a challenge for me to crack the code in Twenty20 as well,” said Gavaskar.
Sehwag had stated recently his wish even though he remains the most destructive and successful opener in world cricket at present. He has 5757 runs from 69 Tests at an average of 50.06 while in One-dayers, he has 6592 runs from 205 One-day Internationals at 34.33 average.
In Twenty20 though, he has 223 runs from 12 games and is yet to hit a hundred with 68 being his highest to date. His average too at 20.27 is disappointing. Gavaskar has no doubt Sehwag should be opening for India at all times in all formats. “My choice of openers in this present tourney would be Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag. Both have a good rapport and are excellent. All the advantages are with Sehwag if he is to remain an opener: the bowlers are terrified of him and he has the advantage of field restriction too.”
Even though Gavaskar’s penny is on Sehwag to open the innings, the little master has a lot of time for his fellow Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma. “If I were to bat in Twenty20 and emulate any batsman, it would be Rohit. He used to come down the order in the IPL and even against a climbing run-rate, along with tailenders, could score heavily,” he said.
Rohit is set to take Sehwag’s position as an opener in the team, a decision taken by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni who on Saturday made a show of unity and strength in front of assembled media.
Dhoni did so because he was peeved at the reports in
the media about his alleged rift with Virender Sehwag and thought he needed to take the bull by the horns. It was a move which hasn’t upset Gavaskar a great deal. “I remember to have done likewise once when I took most of my team to a newspaper’s office in Bangalore over a report which didn’t quite go down well with us. But now that he has done so, the team should leave this issue behind and prove their worth on the field of play.” PTI


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[Sourav]

[tscii:3a83b30d53]
:happydance: ‘Viru getting ready for CT’ :boo:
Opener Will Be Fit, Feels Dhoni

Kolkata: Virender Sehwag, recuperating from a shoulder surgery, was shaping well for the Champions Trophy, according to Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who said the dashing opener may however not be ready for the tri-series in Sri Lanka in early September.
“He is improving every day. He is putting in a lot of effort to get ready for Champions Trophy ,” Dhoni said on Thursday. On Sehwag’s chances of playing in the tri-series in Sri Lanka starting on September 8, Dhoni hinted the batsman may have to sit out of the event. “It’s (tri-series) too soon, with just a few days to go,” he said.
Sehwag had injured his shoulder during the semifinal of the second edition of the Indian Premier League in South Africa and he underwent a surgery for the the Grade II lesion at a Nottingham hospital in June.
Since then, Sehwag has been following a rehabilitation programme, which makes him doubtful not only for the September 8-14 tri-series in Sri Lanka but also cast a cloud of doubt over his avail-
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[ajithfederer]

I’m tired of playing T-20’s, wanna play Tests: Sehwag

Here's another cricketer who is tired of playing the shorter version of cricket, T-20's.

Dashing Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag has made it clear that instead of T-20's, he was looking forward to play more Tests and ODIs.

Speaking with the reporters, Sehwag said: "Personally I would like to play more Tests and ODIs than T20 games which I know have become extremely popular. I would like to play at least eight to 10 Tests in a year."

The Delhi batsman hopes to return to international arena with the Twenty20 Champions League next month.

The star opener is currently suffering from a shoulder injury.

Commenting over his recent spat with the DDCA, the right handed batsman said that he was against the system and not any particular DDCA official.

"My fight is against the system. You have to change the system and put some good people who can look after cricket," said Sehwag.

http://www.topnews.in/i-m-tired-playing-t20-s-wanna-play-tests-sehwag-2211106[tscii:49af913ae6][/tscii:49af913ae6]

[Sourav]

I don’t want captaincy: Viru

New Delhi: Dashing opener Virender Sehwag on Monday said he doesn’t want to be the captain of the Indian cricket team and suggested that a new face should be given the responsibility of vicecaptaincy so that he can be groomed to take the reins after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
“I don’t want to be a captain, I have already told selectors about it. I have said that a new player should be made vice-captain and be groomed to be a captain,” Sehwag said. “I want that I should continue to score runs and keep winning matches for the team,” he added. The Delhi-batsman said he would regain his fitness completely before the Champions League which starts from October 10.
Sehwag, who has played under many skippers in his career, considers Saurav Ganguly as the best ever captain. “Saurav Ganguly has been the best ever captain India ever had,” he said. PTI

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[Sanguine Sridhar]

Un post count-a yethurathukaaga orey post-a Dada thread-layum, ingayum post pannirukka... :lol2:

[Sourav]

:lol2: :notthatway: anga bold lines mattum note pannu,,, :noteeth:

[Sourav]

Kiwis happy Viru won’t be there

Colombo: New Zealand cricketers have expressed relief that swashbuckling Indian opening bat Virender Sehwag will not feature in the tri-series in Sri Lanka and in the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa because of a shoulder injury. A shoulder injury means New Zealand avoid one of the most devastating strikers of a cricket ball. It maybe recalled that during the recent one-day series in New Zealand, Sehwag had tonked 299 runs at an average of 74.25 to help India win by a margin of three games to one. “It is a relief,” said vice-captain Brendon Mc-Cullum when asked about the significance of Sehwag not leading off the Indian order in against New Zealand on Friday.
“The way he played against us in the home summer, he was pretty terrifying at the top of the order,” McCullum said. :P

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[Sourav]

Viru’s absence a relief for us

Muttiah Muralitharan


India used to struggle playing One-day cricket in Sri Lanka, but in the 18 months they’ve won two series and looked entirely at home. It’s great to welcome them back to our island shores, but I hope in this series we put up a far stronger fight than we did in February when they won 3-1. They should be fresh after a two-month break since the West Indies tour and I’m sure they’ll be very keen to get back into the groove as quickly as possible. This tour will be an important warm-up for the Champions Trophy. Our focus, however, is first winning this series.
The loss of Gautam Gambhir this week with a groin injury will obviously be a huge blow. He’s been one of the world’s best batsmen in the past year and his performances against us have been one of the keys to their recent success. He’s a fine player of spin, is quick on his feet and a strong cutter. He’s dangerous.
The absence of Virender Sehwag will also be a huge relief to my fast bowling colleagues, although I’m confident they’d have enjoyed the challenge of bowling to him. His absence will leave the focus on Sachin (Tendulkar) and Rahul (Dravid), who was sensibly recalled I think.
Even with Gambhir and Sehwag, their line-up is full of talent and it’s going to be a really good test for our bowling attack. We’ve been improving all the time with our bowling and we’ve got a better-balanced attack than we did in our previous two series against India.
Out batting has also improved with Thilan Samarweera returning to the One-day fold.TCM [tscii:c4daeb4fff][/tscii:c4daeb4fff]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2009/09/12&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01606&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

[Plum]

Typical Sehwag-speak (http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/425164.html)

From the heart...no lies, no manipulative statements, no diplomacy, no lip-service("You cannot judge a batsman on two matches, need to give more chances"; next day, that batsman is dropped!).

[Sourav]

Plum, Thanks 4 the link!

Part One (http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/425149.html)

Part Two (http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/425164.html)


Let me give an example: I was batting on 291 at Chepauk, against South Africa. I told Paul Harris, "Come round the wicket and first ball I'll hit you for a six." He accepted my challenge and the very first ball I hit him for a straight six, and there was a long-off, long-on, deep midwicket and a deep point. I was so tired and he was bowling on the pads and I was getting bored. So rather than spending 10-15 minutes to get to the triple-century I gave him good advice. :P

[Plum]

Yes, that bit was hilarious Sourav.
Idhu maadhiri neraiya gems irukku. The man is a unique piece.

[Sourav]

Viru quits as Delhi IPL captain
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Virender Sehwag has stepped down as the captain of Team Delhi for the inaugural T20 Champions League to be played in India from October 8 to 23. In his place, Gautam Gambhir will lead the side while. wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik will be the vice-captain.
“Viru has been a source of great strength and inspiration to the team. When he expressed a desire to step down in order to fully focus and concentrate on batting, we respected his decision and accepted his request,” said GMR Sports chairman Srinivas Bommidala.
Under Gambhir’s captaincy, Team Delhi won three matches out of four in this year’s IPL in South Africa while Karthik had an outstanding season as well. “I would like to thank my team owners for their understanding in accepting my request to step down,” said Sehwag.
“Personally, I would like to concentrate on my own batting and contribute to the team. Gautam did a great job of captaining Delhi and also during IPL-2 in South Africa this year. He has shown very good leadership skills and will bring fresh energy into Delhi team,” Sehwag added. He also dropped a hint that he wouldn’t continue as Delhi skipper in the IPL next year.
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[tscii:7fddc87fb7][/tscii:7fddc87fb7]

[Sourav]

Master Blaster Sachin Candidly Says Viru Bat’s Like Him..

Sachin Tendulkar is indeed one of the most talented cricketer’s that the history of cricket has ever seen .His style , His attitude , His shots , just everything is great and peculiar. He has forever been praised for his daring and energetic batting style , which has led team India umpteen victories in the past as well as present.

In an interview to a TV channel Sachin stated that Virendra Sehwag is probably the only person in the Indian Cricket Team who has talent like the master blaster.

He also said that Virendra Sehwag’s batting style and overall approach is similar to him and it is because of his great technique and impeccable talent that the bowlers throughout the world fear him.

Sachin has always been very encouraging and has always shown appreciation towards his team mates , It is because of his good nature and great talent that people see of him as a true gentleman and a legendary cricketer.[tscii:a068e1eda4][/tscii:a068e1eda4]
http://ub-news.com/news/master-blaster-sachin-candidly-says-viru-bat%E2%80%99s-like-him/5045.html

:smokesmirk: :bow:

[Sourav]

HITTING LICENSE
Ajay Naidu | TNN

Nagpur: There is a method to his madness. And when he gets going, Virender Sehwag sets the stands on fire. For someone who loves to hit fours and sixes, T20 cricket seems to be tailor made for this dashing opener from Delhi Daredevils. On the eve of the Champions League, Sehwag talks about his T20 experience in an exclusive interview to TOI.

EXCERPTS

What has been the highlight of your T20 career?

Winning the inaugural World Cup in South Africa in 2007; we had a young side and I enjoyed being part of the group. We played positive,and fearless cricket, and we went from strength to strength after every game.

And the disappointment?

Obviously missing out on the last T20 World Cup in England a few months back. I was injured playing the IPL in South Africa and that kept me away from cricket. I missed playing on the big stage.

Who, do you think, is the best T20 cricketer in the world and why?

Yuvraj Singh. He can bat normally and still score runs at a faster rate. I think, he plays the big shots, hits big sixes, with ease. To me he is the best striker of a cricket ball.

Which T20 performance, either individual or team, has impressed you the most?

When we beat South Africa and Australia in back-to-back games in the T20 World Cup in South Africa. That gave us a lot of confidence and we carried that momentum into the final to beat Pakistan and win the World Cup. That was amazing.

Is there a change in the mindset when you play T20 cricket compared to other forms of the game?

I don’t think so, because in T20, I have the license to hit every ball. So I just go out to enjoy and try to score off every ball. There are no restrictions on the batsman to leave the ball or to defend. It is a good format and, as a batsman, there is no pressure. I can just go out and start playing my shots from ball one.

Who has been your toughest opponent in T20?

It has to be New Zealand. We have never won against them. We played three T20 internationals against them and lost all of them. We even lost to them in the practice game in the T20 World Cup in England.

Is it possible to excel in all forms of the game, Test, One-day and T20?

Yes. A good batsman shouldn’t have problems scoring runs in either form of the game. Similarly, a good bowler can take wickets in any format.

Why do you think T20 has taken the world by storm in such a short period?

Because of sheer excitement, like they have in football. The spectators are guaranteed of three hours of entertainment. They can come after office hours and enjoy the fours and sixes. In this format, there is never a dull moment. It is all about thrill and excitement. Also a result is definite, there are no draws.

Does T20 affect players when they return to playing one-day or Tests?

I don’t think so.

Do you believe that cheerleaders are a welcome addition to the game?

For players it doesn’t matter who is doing what beyond the boundary. They are too focused and involved in the game.

Who is the funniest cricketer you have played with?

Harbhajan Singh. There is never a dull moment with him around. As for players from other country, I liked Chris Gayle when we were part of the World XI during the Super Series in Australia. He is a very funny guy. Whatever way you speak, he tries to make fun of you by imitating you.

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[Sourav]

Happy B'day VIRU! :cheer:

Virender Sehwag, who turns 31 on Tuesday, is a content man.

The swashbuckling batsman, having become a lot wiser and a touch more philosophical, wants to play as long as possible for India and score many more runs, though he clarifies that he is not chasing records and has set no goals.

Like the batsman himself, there is a uniqueness associated with his birthday.

Sehwag's household celebrates two birthdays on successive days. His son Aryavir was born on October 19, 2007, a day before the father turned 29. As Sehwag has admitted many times, his life changed-on and off the field-after the birth of his son.

On the eve of his birthday, Sehwag and wife Aarti helped Aryavir to cut a cake at their Hauz Khas home before leaving for Ferozeshah Kotla for a Champions League game against the Cape Cobras.

"Experience comes with age. And I have learnt that through my cricket. As I have grown up, I have gained experience to deal with different situations in life. I believe that if you are able to handle the ups and downs of a cricket career, you can also cope with the ups and downs in life as well," Sehwag told Mail Today. "I have also learnt to distinguish between good and the not so good people," said the man who stands alongside legendary Don Bradman and Brian Lara as the only ones to have scored two triple centuries in 132 years of Test cricket.

The 'Nawab of Najafgarh'-a sobriquet that he got after hitting 309 against Pakistan in 2004-is happy with where he is.

"I have set no targets for the future, no desire to make records. I only want to play for India as long as possible," he said as candidly as ever.

When pointed out that he has so far not scored a century in Twenty20 format, the hard-hitting batsman said: "I have no such ambitions. If I had played for records, my cricket would have perhaps finished soon. I try to enjoy my game." Sehwag's highest score in the shortest format is 94 not out, against Deccan Chargers in 2008 Indian Premier League.

In 69 Tests, he has amassed 5,757 runs and 6,592 in 205 ODIs.

Sehwag admitted that when he scored one on his One-Day International debut, against Pakistan, on April 1, 1999, he did not foresee himself becoming one of the most feared batsmen later on.

"I never thought I would play international cricket for so long. But today nine years have passed and I didn't even realise how quickly time has gone by," he said.

Termed by Sourav Ganguly as the "most talented player" who made his debut under his captaincy, Sehwag also led India in a few Tests and ODIs as a stop gap captain and was vicecaptain for a while.

He was widely tipped to succeed Rahul Dravid as skipper, but his form deserted him in 2007 and he was even dropped from the Test side. And with it his prospect of becoming a permanent captain also seemingly disappeared.

But last year Sehwag not only regained his from but also tallied 1,462 runs-including his second triple century-at 56.23 in 14 Tests and was again appointed vice-captain.

Asked why he quit Delhi Daredevils' captaincy, Sehwag said it was due to the increasing responsibilities.

"There were too many commitments. Captaincy had started to occupy my mind more and more. There were team meetings, deciding team compositions before the match, post-match responsibilities, media commitments etc. I wanted to concentrate on my batting," he said.

Sehwag is now looking ahead to extend his fine form to the seven-match ODI series against Australia beginning on Sunday in Vadodara.

"I am happy with my form after my shoulder injury (sustained early this year), and I will try to take my Twenty20 form to the One-day series against Australia," he averred. Again, no particular goals.

Courtesy: Mail Today
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/66981/SPORTS/Viru+is+31+and+looks+ahead.html[tscii:f4fb8d7858][/tscii:f4fb8d7858]

[Sourav]

http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3303565

[vanchi]

waiting for one real big innings from viru :)

[Sourav]

http://cricket.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/nov/12/slide-show-1-india-australia-report-card.htm

Virender Sehwag

Rating: 4/10

Virender Sehwag is supremely talented, no question about that. And he is extremely entertaining when he is at the crease. No matter who the bowler is, the Delhi batsman dispatches him with utter disdain.

Having said that, Sehwag cannot be completely trusted and given complete responsibility. He can give the team an attacking start and an early advantage, but to expect him to carry on with his bat will be a bit too much.

The Hero Honda Cup was a case in point. Sehwag got of to a great start in almost all the matches only to throw away his wicket when the team could ill-afford that.

But that is Sehwag for you, or, as Dhoni puts it, "That's the way he bats, going after the bowlers straight away and sometimes losing his wicket."

[tscii:dca6ca6ac9][/tscii:dca6ca6ac9]

[Dinesh84]

Having said that, Sehwag cannot be completely trusted and given complete responsibility. He can give the team an attacking start and an early advantage, but to expect him to carry on with his bat will be a bit too much.



:?

[Sourav]

Viru wasting his talent
SEHWAG NEEDS TO BE RESTRAINED IN ODIs

Sourav Ganguly

It is unfortunate that the 7th ODI got washed away, although India had lost the series 2-4 but playing in Mumbai is always special for players as it is the Mecca of Indian cricket and has very knowledgeable crowd about the game. Although India had lost the series it was an opportunity for India to win a match and go into the Test series against Sri Lanka with a bit of confidence.
Although playing Australia and playing Sri Lanka will be
completely different, I back India to win both the Test and ODI series convincingly. India will be disappointed with the way the Australia series has gone and also its performance in the last six months and both the selectors and Dhoni will have few things to sort out before they move on into the next series.
India has lost a lot of close games during these six matches. They came really close in Vadodara Chandigarh and Hyderabad. Had the team managed to survive these close games it would have been a different mindset altogether, but that’s the way one day cricket goes and that’s what happens when you play big teams like Australia.
Before India came into this series, there were a lot of talk about the bowling being the main worry, but the batting also was very surprisingly inconsistent. Normally, we expect a lot from such a powerful Indian batting line up and that’s the way it has been for the last 8-9 years where the batters have delivered all around the world successfully. The people concerned need to address the issue as quickly as possible because there is no dearth of ability and it was a case of poor application at some stage.
Sehwag needs to rethink his approach to ODI cricket as I’ve said he needs to be a bit restrained at the top because he’s got enormous hitting ability to make up once he gets set. His average of 30-plus at the top of the order doesn’t do justice to his enormous talent. He’s to somehow emulate his Test performances in ODI cricket as it is much easier than Test matches and there is no reason why he can’t do that. The lower middle order also has to finish games as the game in Hyderabad was absolutely in the pocket for India and they panicked at a crucial juncture.
Sachin Tendulkar’s 175 at Hyderabad gave a lot of joy to a lot of Indian fans and supporters. It was a fantastic knock and something which the young boys need to start emulating not only to cement their places in the team but also to take pressure away from Yuvraj and Dhoni in the middle. Once these batting worries are sorted out, I’m sure India will get back to their winning ways.
The little man’s knock of 175 also should stop people connected with the game talk about age because you need to pick your best players and not according to age. This is one thing which I wanted to bring to everyone’s notice before the 2007 World Cup and we made a complete mess of everything before we arrived in the West Indies. Hopefully, we won’t make such mistakes again and talk about the World Cup from now on because it’s still a long way to go.
Teams are not built for one tournament, they are meant for bigger tournaments like World Cup. So we should be looking at picking the best team for every tour and try and win it because the team could be built this way only.
The series also saw Sachin Tendulkar get past 17000 ODI runs and complete 20 years of international cricket. It’s a phenomenal achievement and something which would be hard to emulate. I heard Sachin speak on TV about his intentions to play in the 2011 World Cup that was always known and rightly so because he is a huge asset to the team.
The Australia series is over and the good thing is that India play Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad in another three days’ time and hence they wouldn’t find time to mull over the loss against Australia. PMG
[tscii:93ad253dc0]
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[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2009/11/13&PageLabel=17&EntityId=Ar01705&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

DRESSING ROOM TALES
It was an honour to hear Sachin say I bat like him
So what if he’s scaled some peaks which have eluded even Sachin? VIRENDER SEHWAG remains the gushing wannabe...


Sachin Tendulkar is the god of cricket. He has motivated an entire generation to play the game. I remember watching Tendulkar bat in the 1992 World Cup in Australia and I was fascinated by the quality of his strokes. He was playing the cover drives, straight drives, backfoot punches, cuts and pulls all over the place. I got attracted to cricket because of him. I just tried to copy him. My aim was to bat like Tendulkar and play for my country.
He has been a role model for me and I’m blessed to have played with him for the last ten years. It was a great honour for me when Sachin said I bat a lot like him. It’s the best compliment I’ve ever received. It’s a big thing for me.
(As told to Ajay Naidu)
[tscii:58cc704f69][/tscii:58cc704f69]

[Kalyasi]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2009/11/13&PageLabel=17&EntityId=Ar01705&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

DRESSING ROOM TALES
It was an honour to hear Sachin say I bat like him
So what if he’s scaled some peaks which have eluded even Sachin? VIRENDER SEHWAG remains the gushing wannabe...


Sachin Tendulkar is the god of cricket. He has motivated an entire generation to play the game. I remember watching Tendulkar bat in the 1992 World Cup in Australia and I was fascinated by the quality of his strokes. He was playing the cover drives, straight drives, backfoot punches, cuts and pulls all over the place. I got attracted to cricket because of him. I just tried to copy him. My aim was to bat like Tendulkar and play for my country.
He has been a role model for me and I’m blessed to have played with him for the last ten years. It was a great honour for me when Sachin said I bat a lot like him. It’s the best compliment I’ve ever received. It’s a big thing for me.
(As told to Ajay Naidu)
[tscii:f12bfd294b][/tscii:f12bfd294b]

Ithukku apparom kooda Sehwag neraya sonnaan "My life is fulfilled with that comment from Sachin and I will be happy even if I die today" apdi remba pheelings a pesitaar....

[Plum]

Viru wasting his talent
SEHWAG NEEDS TO BE RESTRAINED IN ODIs

Sourav Ganguly

It is unfortunate that the 7th ODI got washed away, although India had lost the series 2-4 but playing in Mumbai is always special for players as it is the Mecca of Indian cricket and has very knowledgeable crowd about the game. Although India had lost the series it was an opportunity for India to win a match and go into the Test series against Sri Lanka with a bit of confidence.
Although playing Australia and playing Sri Lanka will be
completely different, I back India to win both the Test and ODI series convincingly. India will be disappointed with the way the Australia series has gone and also its performance in the last six months and both the selectors and Dhoni will have few things to sort out before they move on into the next series.
India has lost a lot of close games during these six matches. They came really close in Vadodara Chandigarh and Hyderabad. Had the team managed to survive these close games it would have been a different mindset altogether, but that’s the way one day cricket goes and that’s what happens when you play big teams like Australia.
Before India came into this series, there were a lot of talk about the bowling being the main worry, but the batting also was very surprisingly inconsistent. Normally, we expect a lot from such a powerful Indian batting line up and that’s the way it has been for the last 8-9 years where the batters have delivered all around the world successfully. The people concerned need to address the issue as quickly as possible because there is no dearth of ability and it was a case of poor application at some stage.
Sehwag needs to rethink his approach to ODI cricket as I’ve said he needs to be a bit restrained at the top because he’s got enormous hitting ability to make up once he gets set. His average of 30-plus at the top of the order doesn’t do justice to his enormous talent. He’s to somehow emulate his Test performances in ODI cricket as it is much easier than Test matches and there is no reason why he can’t do that. The lower middle order also has to finish games as the game in Hyderabad was absolutely in the pocket for India and they panicked at a crucial juncture.
Sachin Tendulkar’s 175 at Hyderabad gave a lot of joy to a lot of Indian fans and supporters. It was a fantastic knock and something which the young boys need to start emulating not only to cement their places in the team but also to take pressure away from Yuvraj and Dhoni in the middle. Once these batting worries are sorted out, I’m sure India will get back to their winning ways.
The little man’s knock of 175 also should stop people connected with the game talk about age because you need to pick your best players and not according to age. This is one thing which I wanted to bring to everyone’s notice before the 2007 World Cup and we made a complete mess of everything before we arrived in the West Indies. Hopefully, we won’t make such mistakes again and talk about the World Cup from now on because it’s still a long way to go.
Teams are not built for one tournament, they are meant for bigger tournaments like World Cup. So we should be looking at picking the best team for every tour and try and win it because the team could be built this way only.
The series also saw Sachin Tendulkar get past 17000 ODI runs and complete 20 years of international cricket. It’s a phenomenal achievement and something which would be hard to emulate. I heard Sachin speak on TV about his intentions to play in the 2011 World Cup that was always known and rightly so because he is a huge asset to the team.
The Australia series is over and the good thing is that India play Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad in another three days’ time and hence they wouldn’t find time to mull over the loss against Australia. PMG
[tscii:9b99980b11]
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2009/11/13&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01600&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T[/tscii:9b99980b11]

adhellAm sari.(HUB) Sourav needs to re-think his signature :-)

[Sourav]

Muttiah Muralitharan applauds while Virender Sehwag celebrates his century, India v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Kanpur, 1st day, November 24, 2009

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/110500/110502.jpg

lm, pls enable this... :P

[viraajan]

:clap: Sehwag :2thumbsup:

[Sourav]

Gambhir the best after Gavaskar: Sehwag
OUR CORRESPONDENT

Kanpur: Virender Sehwag, at the media conference after the first day’s play of the India-Sri Lanka second Test, heaped praise on his opening partner Gautam Gambhir and said that he was the best Indian opener after Sunil Gavaskar.

Expressing confidence in the Indian bowlers’ ability to bowl out Sri Lanka twice in the Test, Sehwag also said that the he hoped the pitch to assist the spinners as the game progressed.

The following are excerpts


His lucky escape in the very first over
Yes, I was indeed lucky. After that dropped chance, I decided that I would be more careful in the first 10 overs and then play my natural game.
I left everything outside the off-stump. The ball was doing a bit during the first 35-40 minutes and I had to be cautious. I decided to open up after that.


On getting a century
I am always happy. Whether I score, 10, 20, 200 or 300.


Not going on to score a big hundred
It depends on what you consider to be a big hundred. I believe, 131 is a big enough score at this level.


Whether he’s worried with his dipping Test average
I don’t get bothered by averages. I play this game because I am passionate about it. If I would I have cared about averages, then I should have rather looked at improving my ODI average.


Gautam Gambhir’s performance
There is no doubt that he is talented. As far as I am concerned, he is the best Indian opener after Sunil Gavaskar. His performance over the last year has been phenomenal.
His footwork against the spinners was brilliant today (Tuesday). I have told him that he should try and emulate the likes of Sir Don Bradman and Gavaskar. He has eight centuries from 27 matches and should have 10 hundreds from his first 30 Tests like these legends. That will be outstanding.


Their on-field chemistry
We enjoy batting in each other’s company. For instance, when Murali came on to bowl, Gautam tried to play a risky shot and I just told him to be careful. I told him to think big as it was a great wicket to bat on. The very next ball, he hit a beautiful cover drive.


On the Kanpur wicket
It is definitely a great wicket to bat on. With little moister in air, I knew the ball would do something and I had to be careful. They had three spinners and I fancied my chance against them. So I took time and concentrated a lot before playing my shots.
We are in a positive frame of mind. We are hoping to bat the whole day tomorrow (Wednesday) and put around 700 runs on the board. That will put pressure on the opponents.


Whether they had any specific plans to handle the Lankan spin trio
I don’t think we had chalked out any specific strategy for the Sri Lankan spin trio of (Muttiah) Muralidharan, (Rangana) Herath and (Ajantha) Mendis.
We didn’t want to be aggressive from the very onset and had just planned to play each ball on its merit. I was a bit cautious initially while Gambhir was stroking the ball well. However, it was easier once the spinners came in. It helped me to go for my shots.


Muralidharan’s poor show
I don’t think the Sri Lankan spinners bowled as badly as it is being made out to be. It is just that we batted well. The first day wicket is always best for batting and we took full advantage of it. If you have scored 417 on the first day, you got to give credit to the batsman.


On the possibility of bowling out Sri Lanka twice in the Test
We are positive about bowling Sri Lanka out twice in three days. We have quality bowlers in Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha.
We bowled out Australia twice in a placid Mohali track last year and there is no reason why we cannot do it here.
Also, the ball is keeping a bit low. I am confident that the spinners will get turn during the last two days. Unlike last time this is not a pitch where match will end inside three days.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091125/jsp/sports/story_11782313.jsp[tscii:cf3b5b30f1][/tscii:cf3b5b30f1]

[Sourav]

India cracks Mendis code
Last updated on: November 24, 2009 21:15 IST

'Mystery' spinner Ajantha Mendis went into the second Test against Indiawith a reputation to protect, but was stripped off his cloak of enigma after 19 futile overs.

For once, his dreaded magic finger that releases his trademark carrom ball let him down, and the Indians, chiefly Virender Sehwag , treated him with the disdain reserved for unheralded spinners.

With Sehwag in a murderous mood, Mendis bled 42 runs in his first five-over spell, and Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara had no other way but to withdraw the spinner.

In fact, Mendis was not pressed into service again till Sehwag departed in the 42nd over.

The former army gunner had two more spells subsequently, but at the end of the day did not have a single scalp to show after conceding 87 runs in his 19 overs.

Sehwag felt the spinner has become predictable and batsmen have solved the Mendis code.

"Every bowler has his time when he tries to get as many wickets. It applies to batsmen also. You sense it is your time and score as much as you can. In Sri Lanka, he bowled really well.

"He tried different things and bowled in good areas. But now we know him and we tried to dominate him today. I think we have tackled him very well," Sehwag said.

That conscious effort to dominate Mendis was evident in his first over when Sehwag hit him for a six. In his next over, Sehwag hit him for a four and Mendis copped two more boundaries in his next over.

In his fifth over, Sehwag greeted him with an audacious shot that cleared the long-on ropes and Sangakkara virtually had no other option but withdraw the spinner.

Once Sehwag fell to Muttiah Muralitharan , Sangakkara brought back Mendis and even though Rahul Dravid played him with characteristic caution, and Gautam Gambhir did not really go berserk, success eluded Mendis.

Neither his famed carrom ball nor his assortment of googlies, top-spinners, flippers, offbreaks and legbreaks, could do the trick on a Green Park track that still remains unresponsive to spinners.

This was in stark contrast to his previous outing against India. In fact, Mendis acquired that enigmatic aura around his bowling after scarring the psyche of the Indian batsmen with a six-wicket mayhem in the Asia Cup final in Karachi last year.

That match-winning haul catapulted him from obscurity to prominence and Mendis enhanced his reputation with the man-of-the-series award when the Indians subsequently visited Sri Lanka for a three-match Test series.
http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/nov/24/india-cracks-mendis-code.htm[tscii:d654aa651d][/tscii:d654aa651d]

[venkkiram]

ஷேவாஹ் .. உனக்கு நிகர் நீதான்.. உலகில் யாருமல்ல.

க்ரிக்கட் என்றால் இப்படித்தான் இருக்கணும் என்ற இந்திய பண்டிதத்தை எல்லாம் தவிடு பொடியாக்கியன் நீதான்.

முதல் டெஸ்ட்-முதல் இன்னிங்ஸிலேயே முதல் சதத்தோடு ஆரம்பித்தவன் நீ.

சென்னையில் நீ எடுத்த 300 ரன்கள் ஒரு கவிதை. குறைந்த பட்சம் இந்த சாதனை இன்னும் ஐம்பது வருடங்களுக்காவது வேறொரு இந்தியனால் தகர்க்கப் படாத சாதனையாக இருக்கும்.

எப்படி?

ஆட்டத்தின் 21ம் ஓவர் - 50 ரன்களை கடந்தாய்.
ஆட்டத்தின் 35ம் ஓவர் - 100 ரன்களை கடந்தாய்.
ஆட்டத்தின் 52ம் ஓவர் - 150 ரன்களை கடந்தாய்.
ஆட்டத்தின் 75ம் ஓவர் - 200 ரன்களை கடந்தாய்.

-- டெஸ்டின் முதல் நாளிலேயே நீ இருசதங்களை கடந்து விட்டாய். சந்தித்த பந்துகள் 271. எடுத்த ரன்கள் 228.

ஆட்டத்தின் 100ம் ஓவர் - 250 ரன்களை கடந்தாய்.
ஆட்டத்தின் 122ம் ஓவர் - 300 ரன்களை கடந்தாய்.

இந்தியா முதல் இன்னிங்ஸில் எடுத்த ரன்கள் 675.

உன் அதிரடி ஆட்டம் தான், ஐந்து நாட்களுக்குள் வெற்றியை கொண்டு வந்தது இந்தியாவுக்கு. வேறு யார் ஆடியிருந்தாலும், டிராவாகத் தான் முடிந்திருக்கும். இதுதான் உனக்கும், மற்ற முண்னணி ஆட்டக்காரர்களுக்கும் உள்ள மலையளவு வித்யாசம்.

உன்னைப் பொறுத்தவரை ஒரு நாள் போட்டியானலும் சரி, டெஸ்ட் போட்டிகள் என்றாலும் சரி இரண்டும் ஒன்றுதான்.

ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகளில் நீ களத்தில் இருந்தால் போதும். காணும் எல்லா மக்களுக்கும் வெற்றி நமக்குத் தான் எண்ணம் இயல்பாகவே வந்து விடுகிறது. இதுவே உனது வெற்றி.

ஒரு வரியில் சொல்லப் போனால், இந்தியக் க்ரிக்கட்டின் எரிமலை நீதான். நீ ஒருவன் தான்.

[Sourav]

ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகளில் நீ களத்தில் இருந்தால் போதும். காணும் எல்லா மக்களுக்கும் வெற்றி நமக்குத் தான் எண்ணம் இயல்பாகவே வந்து விடுகிறது. இதுவே உனது வெற்றி.
:exactly:

waleludlayae tests-la 50+ avg with 78+ s.r vachiirukka orey batsman namma viru thannen... :mrgreen:

[Sourav]

POLL - Best test innings of viru....coming soon... :boo:

[Dinesh84]

6000 Runs :clap: :bow:

[wrap07]

:2thumbsup: :clap:

[venkkiram]

34.3

Muralitharan to Sehwag, FOUR, Sehwag gets to his 17th Test ton and now Vijay rushes to hug him. It was the flighted delivery outside leg stump and Sehwag plays the sweep .. very fine .. and Kris Srikkanth , the chairman of selectors, jumps out from his seat to applaud.

And replays show that Cheeka (Srikkanth) was whistling when Sehwag reached his ton!

[littlemaster1982]

Where's Sourav :huh:

[Plum]

Sehwagology (http://www.cricketwithballs.com/2009/12/03/sehwag-saves)

[Thirumaran]

Where's Sourav :huh:

sehwag a team a vittu thookura varaikkum signature maathurathilainnu sabatham panni irunthaan.. athula mannu vizhunthiduchae :(

[VinodKumar's]

The World's Most Destructive B'man™

Sourav :thumbsup:

[VinodKumar's]

India v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Mumbai, 2nd day
Has there ever been another like Sehwag?

Cricket is a non-contact sport, but watching Virender Sehwag bat is as visceral an experience as watching Muhammad Ali dominate the ring in his prime


Arguments about Muttiah Muralitharan's declining effectiveness can wait for another time. This was a day instead to marvel at the magnificence of a man who defies any sort of categorisation or pigeon-holing. Cricket is a non-contact sport, but watching Virender Sehwag bat is as visceral an experience as watching Muhammad Ali dominate the ring in his prime. On Thursday afternoon, Sehwag toyed with the greatest offspinner to play the game as though he were some glorified net bowler. He might as well have been, as India overhauled Sri Lanka's total of 393 in 67.5 overs. But for back spasms that restricted him to a more mortal scoring-rate in the last half hour, Sehwag might have become only the second batsman after Sir Donald Bradman to score 300 runs in a day.

Each monumental Sehwag innings has left a trail of destruction in its wake. At the MCG in 2003, it was Stuart MacGill's turn to look like a pie-thrower as he galloped to 195 in just five hours. In Multan, Shoaib Akhtar was reduced to feeble sledges. Sehwag's response was just to compare him to a beggar. In Chennai against the best Australian side ever, he careered to 155 on a pitch where few others had managed any sort of fluency. In front of the imposing Galle Fort last year, he dictated the course of a Test with an innings that combined absolute control and appetite for destruction with admirable restraint.

Has there ever been another like him? Matthew Hayden could pillage bowlers too, but his strike-rate looks pedestrian next to Sehwag's. Adam Gilchrist scored marginally quicker but how often did he have to face the new ball? Even the King, Sir Vivian Richards, never went after bowlers with such menacing intent, day in, day out.

Traditionally, bowlers have been the game-breakers, setting up victories with inspired spells that reduce sides from positions of comfort to misery. Sehwag scores at such a clip that he can transform a game in the same way. India batted only 79 overs on the second day. Yet they already lead by 50. Even if they feel like batting right through day three, the bowlers have all the time in the world to force a result.

Thursday's tour de force brought to mind a remarkable night in Kingston when Richards' hero, Smokin' Joe Frazier, was knocked down five times in the space of two rounds by the giant-fisted George Foreman. Boxing had never seen a puncher like Foreman, just as cricket has never seen a destroyer like Sehwag.

In cricketing terms, the only apt comparison would be with Gordon Greenidge at Lord's in 1984. On the final day of that Test, England thought they were in with a more than decent chance of victory. Today, Sri Lanka must have taken the new ball feeling fairly secure. On both occasions, the illusions were rudely shattered. Greenidge cut and drove with awesome power as 342 was reeled in from just 66.1 overs. His contribution was 214 from 241 balls. Quick by any standard, but nothing outrageous for someone who is batting's answer to Usain Bolt.

And to think that India started the day with survival on their minds. Sri Lanka's 393 looked decent enough on a pitch where the ball had turned from the first session. Surely, Murali and Rangana Herath would pose serious questions and be far more of a threat than they had been in Ahmedabad and Kanpur. That was conventional wisdom. When Sehwag's batting though, such logic is just bunkum.

At Multan just over five years ago, he pretty much ended the career of one very special offspinner, Saqlain Mushtaq. Saqlain had gone into that series speaking of a surprise ball, the teesra [the third one]. After much discussion in the media box, it was decided that it was the delivery that Sehwag kept whacking over midwicket for fours and sixes.

Murali tried plenty of variations at the CCI, perhaps too many. One moment summed up the uneven nature of the contest. Sehwag was on 248 when Murali pitched one on middle stump. The response was a reverse paddle-sweep, a stroke that few could have imagined leave alone seen. As the ball sped to the rope, past where conventional slip might have stood, Murali just half-flinched and looked away.

Even as fatigue took over, the level of improvisation didn't drop. Spotting a slower one from Angelo Mathews, Sehwag quickly decided that a booming drive wasn't the answer. A deftly angled bat and the ball raced away past the vacant first-slip position. For Kumar Sangakkara, the man entrusted with the task of stopping a deluge with a teacup, that was the quintessential dilemma. When remotely attacking fields were set, Sehwag just shifted his feet and cleared the infield with an ease that bordered on contempt. When the fielders then fanned out, he was free to pick gaps at will.

Each time he went aerial, the crowd in the stands appeared to jump as high. It wasn't just bedlam though. Time after time, people turned to those standing next to them, looking bemused. Each expression said the same thing: 'Did you see THAT?'

Murali Vijay and Rahul Dravid deserve immense praise for the manner in which they managed the situation. When a man's in such prime form, you need to give him as much of the strike as possible, while making sure that you don't leave the entire run-making burden on his shoulders. Vijay played a superb innings till his little brain fade, and the manner in which he was prepared to take on even Murali said much about his state of mind.

As for Dravid, is there a more calming sight in the game than him taking guard? When not defending with the straightest of bats or watching the carnage from the other end, he played some beautiful strokes, especially in the cover-point region. No one's likely to remember them though, blinded as they were by Sehwag's dazzle.

There were a couple of near escapes at the end, with a tired heave off Murali flying to third man, and a thick outside edge off Tillakaratne Dilshan evading both Jayawardenes, Prasanna and Mahela. Those were mere dust motes on a pretty perfect picture though. By the close Sehwag had struck 40 fours and seven sixes, and taken an astonishing 78 from the 70 balls that Murali bowled to him. Only Brian Lara, back in that halycon series of 2001, treated him with such disdain. But at least then Murali was picking up wickets by the bushel at the other end.

Sehwag's energy levels are remarkable for a man who's hardly the most svelte figure in the game. This was his 12th knock in excess of 150, and the way he paces himself is exceptional. On Thursday, he didn't just have to contend with the sun beating down, but also with extreme humidity. The Arabian Sea is just a six-hit away, but instead of losing focus he only made sure that Sri Lanka lost theirs. "It's not fat," said a friend later. "It's batting muscle."

Sri Lanka were so demoralised by the end of the day that it was hard to fathom a route back into the match. When Chanaka Welegedara went off injured with Sehwag in sight of his double-century, the ball was thrown to Nuwan Kulasekara. A cut, flick, glance and midwicket-thump later, he looked ready to cry. As he walked back to his fielding position, he looked every inch the man who'd been asked to take his mate's place in solitary confinement.

Sehwag now has five of the 10 fastest double-centuries in history, including three of the first four. This though is a man utterly insouciant when it comes to such landmarks. He could well go on to obliterate Lara's record tomorrow. He certainly has a great chance to put even Bradman in the shade and score a third triple. None of those possibilities is likely to make him lose sleep though. For someone who has reduced batting to its most elemental, only the next ball matters. If it's there to be hit, regardless of whether he's on 299 or 399, he'll go for it. Which is precisely why it's such a bloody privilege to watch him play.

:notworthy: Those that passed up a chance to come to Churchgate on Thursday would be best off reading the Mishima guide to seppuku.

http://www.cricinfo.com/indvsl2009/content/story/437973.html

[Sourav]

Where's Sourav :huh:was little busssy... :P
watched the highlights... :bow: :bow: :bow: chance-e illa...

naalaikku epdi aaduvannu solla mudiyathu, forst over-e out aagalaam, illa 400+ kooda... :P so, yethukkum ready-a irukkanum... :P



Where's Sourav :huh:

sehwag a team a vittu thookura varaikkum signature maathurathilainnu sabatham panni irunthaan.. athula mannu vizhunthiduchae :(
innum ithai vidalaya... :lol2: poyi vera velai iruntha paarunga.... :rotfl:

[Sourav]

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/22126/sehwag-special


Sehwag rewrite record books at historic Brabourne (Statistical highlights)

Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sports/sehwag-rewrite-record-books-at-historic-brabourne-statistical-highlights_100283984.html#ixzz0Ye1pkBrz

[Sourav]

No one dominated Murali like Viru did: Mathews
http://www.cricketnirvana.com/news/international/2009/december/news-20091203-37.html

[VinodKumar's]

Murali nenacha paavama irruku ... :o

[Thirumaran]

Where's Sourav :huh:was little busssy... :P


unakkellaam manasaatchi illa :huh: nee ellaam akka thangachi kooda porakala :x

[Thirumaran]

Where's Sourav :huh:

sehwag a team a vittu thookura varaikkum signature maathurathilainnu sabatham panni irunthaan.. athula mannu vizhunthiduchae :(
innum ithai vidalaya... :lol2: poyi vera velai iruntha paarunga.... :rotfl:

irunthaa naan yaen varaen :roll:

[Sourav]

viru thread-i unga VAM posts-la naaradikkatheenga... :x
cc free than irukku, anga poyi mokka podunga... :poke:

[Thirumaran]

viru thread-i unga VAM posts-la naaradikkatheenga... :x
cc free than irukku, anga poyi mokka podunga... :poke:

phone panni viru thread nagara matuthu... neengalaachum yaethaavathu post pannungannu sollra.. inga ippadi sollra..unna purinjikkavae mudila :roll:

[Sourav]

:banghead: unga kathai ellam yaarum namba mattanga...poyi izhutthu porthutu thoongunga....good night! :wave:

[Sourav]

Virender Sehwag gives the thumbs up after getting to his double century, India v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Mumbai, 2nd day, December 3, 2009
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/110900/110963.jpg

Virender Sehwag celebrates his hundred, India v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Mumbai, 2nd day, December 3, 2009
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/110900/110957.jpg

[Sourav]

Super Sehwag has shot at immortality
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/sri-lanka-in-india-2009/top-stories/Super-Sehwag-has-shot-at-immortality/articleshow/5298027.cms

Why Sehwag is the best batsman in the world today

Avijit Ghosh Thursday December 03, 2009, 06:50 PM
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Addictions/entry/why-sehwag-is-the-best

Virender Sehwag is batting on 284; just 16 runs away from the unthinkable. If he scores those runs, he will become the first batsman in the history of Test cricket to score three triple hundreds.

Mind boggling as the feat would be, let us pause for a moment to ask ourselves a simple question: do we, as cricket lovers, really give him the respect that he deserves?

The write-ups that follow any substantial knock by Sehwag are usually flooded with adjectives such as "explosive," "destructive" and "bludgeoning". But such praise hides an obvious truth that the cricket world finds impossible to utter: that the Nawab of Najafgarh is a genius and, perhaps, the best batsman in the world today.

When Sehwag is at the crease, anything seems possible. Like making Murali look like a club bowler. Like almost scoring 300 runs days in less than a single day's play. Like smashing the first three balls he faces on tour for sixes as he did in New Zealand earlier this year. When he hits the fastest ever ODI century by an Indian, again in Kiwiland, it is almost expected.

But a much larger pool of facts illustrates why he is the world's most feared batter today.

Sehwag is the only current batsman in international cricket with two Test triple tons. Both were scored at breathtaking speed against respectable attacks: Pakistan and South Africa. He is a more prolific "big" innings player than anybody in world cricket. Twelve of his last 13 hundreds have been 150 plus: 284 not out, 131, 201 not out, 319, 151, 180, 254, 201, 173, 164, 155, 309, 195.

Not one of these is against Bangladesh or Zimbabwe.

Barring one, each innings had a strike rate of 70 plus, amazing by Test standards. The 319 against South Africa in Chennai last year had come off just 304 balls - the fastest triple hundred ever scored. In terms of strike rate, not even Sir Donald Bradman had done better.

In his autobiography, All-round View, Pakistan captain Imran Khan said that a batsman must succeed on all kinds of surfaces to be classified as a genuine great. But the reason why he put Vivian Richards ahead of every other batsman in his generation was because he could dominate the bowling more than others.

Sehwag too is a dominator, a game changer. In bowlers, he induces a fear factor. No other batsman has reduced world-class bowlers to helplessness as consistently in all forms of the game recently as the Delhi opener. Only the finest can achieve a strike rate of 100 plus in ODIs after playing over 200 games - 102.09 in 211 games. His overall ODI average of 33.98 may be modest by his own standards, but in the last 20 innings, he has nearly averaged 50. That's despite being a relative failure in the just-concluded series against Australia.

But what really makes Sehwag special isn't his strike-rate or his shot making skills. It is the fact that he has succeeded on his own terms. Rather than blindly follow the coaching manual, he has only taken what has suited him most and in the process created a grammar uniquely his own: head still, feet still but eyes lighting quick. Add to that immaculate hand-body co-ordination and tons of self-belief. Whatever be the situation, he has never altered this basic style.

And he has succeeded on every surface: South Africa, Australia, West Indies, Sri Lanka. His debut ton came on a seaming pitch in Bloemfontein against the fearsome pace attack of Shaun Pollock, Nantie Hayward, Jacques Kallis, Lance Klusener and Makhaya Ntini. In Sri Lanka last year, when the Fab Four fumbled against mystery slowman Ajantha Mendis, he led the way.

Earlier, during the disastrous 2002-03 series against New Zealand, he was the only Indian batsmen to get two match-winning ODI hundreds on violently seaming tracks. Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly and Sachin collectively scored 215 runs at an average of 10.75. None of them scored a single knock above 25. Tendulkar managed only two runs in three innings at an average of less than 1. Sehwag scored 299 runs at 42.71 out of the team's 916, almost 1/3rd of the team's tally.

In a land where an overwhelming majority of cricket coaches, commentators, even historians, display an obsession with grammar and purity, it is not hard to understand why Sehwag hasn't been feted and fawned upon the way a master should be. But it doesn't really matter.

On Thursday, the nawab of Najafgarh showed he is only getting better with age. After his return from exile, we are really watching Sehwag 2.0 these days.

(This is an updated version of an earlier article written by me for The Times of India in March 2009)[tscii:555d4ceebb][/tscii:555d4ceebb]

[venkkiram]

ஷேவாக்!

சிலருக்கிங்கே அரை சதம்/ஒரு சதம்
என்றாலே பெரிய்ய்ய.. சாதனை
இரு சதம்/ மூன்று சதம் என
உன் வெளியே தனி!
க்ரிக்கட் உலகத்தையே சுருக்கி
சட்டைப் பைக்குள் வைத்துவிட்டாய்!
வீழ்ந்தாலும் ஒரு மாவீரனிடமே
வீழ்ந்திருக்கிறாய் நீ!
அந்த வகையிலும்
இது இருவருக்கும் பெருமை!
மீண்டும் ஒரு "இரு சதத்தை"
இதை விட மிக எளிதாக
அடைய வாழ்த்துக்கள்!

[hamid]

missed the triple century.. :sad: neverthless a great innings :notworthy:

Being opener, the way the bowlers and fielding team is demoralised and most importantly the pace at which he scores etc the chances and the frequency for him to get triple hundred is lot lot more than anybody else.. so this third triple century and maybe few more will come his way soon.. :cool:

Also this knock has done a world of good for India.. when Sehwag is there they will fear.. especialy they will be reluctant to set targets and in process they will reduce their chances of winning..

This knock is second best only to VVS Lax's innings against AUS.. that also set a trend and cricketing world started thinking about enforcing follow-on..

[viraajan]

adra sakkai........... :clap: Sehwag! :bow: :bow: Viru :smokesmirk:

Missed the innings! Yet delighted to hear this :bow:

[Bala (Karthik)]

[tscii:0ca176a8b6]http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/438062.html


Sehwag more destructive than Richards
Time to cut out the buts and salute Sehwag for what he is: one of the greats of batting
Sambit Bal
December 4, 2009

Comments: 55 | Text size: A | A

Virender Sehwag: agent 007 in cricket whites © Associated Press
Related Links
Players/Officials: Virender Sehwag
Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Mumbai (BS)
Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India
Teams: India
When Virender Sehwag gets going, it's like you're watching a James Bond movie. He can drive a car over a cliff, dodge bullets, fight off 20 armed men bare-handed - all of it while wearing a crisp suit, which remains uncrumpled. Only that in Sehwag's case it is all for real: each of those strokes can get him out.

In causing stroke-making to appear so outrageously simple, Sehwag does himself a disservice. Often the true quality of a batting performance is judged by what the batsman is up against, the kind of bowlers on offer, and the conditions. But when Sehwag starts to rain fours and sixes, it becomes impossible to make sense of anything: the bowlers appear fangless, the pitches seem highways, and the match situation becomes absolutely irrelevant.

Sometimes the batsmen who follow him help put the matter in perspective by appearing human, but often the opponents have been left too scarred by the shellacking to recover their wits. In Chennai last December, India found themselves chasing 387 on a wearing pitch. The enduring image of the match is of Sachin Tendulkar's delicately swept four off Graeme Swann to bring up his 41st hundred and the Indian victory; but in a match featuring four centuries, the decisive innings had come from Sehwag: an astonishing 68-ball 83 in the final session of the fourth day that brought he target down to just over 300 in a flash. In a mere 20 overs, England had slipped from being firm favourites to fumbling underdogs.

The most staggering aspect of Sehwag's career, of course, is that a batsman so outrageous should be so prolific. The words used to describe him - entertainer, destroyer, maverick, match-winner - fail to capture the whole essence of Sehwag. And perhaps because of his methods there has been a reluctance to place him alongside the gods of batting. But there is little left for him to prove now: he is a stunning and extraordinary batsman, to whom the term "great" should be applied without qualifications.

His numbers are up there with the very best. Seventy-two Tests is substantial sample, and over 6000 runs at over 50, with 17 hundreds, comfortably stands up to statistical scrutiny. But there is one number that sets him apart. No batsman in the history of cricket has scored his runs as quickly. In the list of batsmen to have scored 6000 Test runs, he, with a strike-rate of just over 80, stands more than 10 points adrift of the next best man. That man, Viv Richards, scored his runs at a shade below 70.

Reduce the qualification to 5000 runs and there are only two men who have been recorded to have scored faster. But both Kapil Dev and Adam Gilchrist batted at No. 7; Kapil averaged only 31.50, and Sehwag has 700 more runs in 14 fewer Tests than Gilchrist, whose average was boosted by 20 not-outs as against Sehwag's five.

On a more like-like for list, of contemporary top-order batsmen, Sehwag stands miles ahead. Sachin Tendulkar (12,917 runs at 54.73) has a strike-rate of 54.12, Ricky Ponting (11,400 runs at 55.88) scores at a rate of 59.41, Matthew Hayden (8625 runs at 50.73) got his at 60.10, and Brian Lara (11,953 runs at 52.88) at 60.51. Sanath Jayasuriya comes closest, with a strike-rate of 65.10, but his average is just over 40.

But of course, numbers are merely the starting point. Greatness is judged by a number of other factors. Quality of opponents, versatility, the ability to score in different conditions, and most of all being able to turn up when it matters. Sehwag ticks all these boxes emphatically.

His first hundred came in his debut Test, on a lively pitch in Bloemfontein after India had lost four wickets for not many. He has gone on to score big hundreds in diverse conditions in Nottingham, Melbourne, Chennai, Mumbai, Lahore and Galle. He has collared Shane Warne, shredded Shoaib Akhthar, got the better of Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, finished off Saqlain Mushtaq's career, and walloped Mutthiah Muralitharan like no one, including Lara, has before. He has set up wins and saved more Tests than he is given credit for.



The words used to describe him - entertainer, destroyer, maverick, match-winner - fail to capture the whole essence of Sehwag. And perhaps because of his methods there has been a reluctance to place him alongside the gods of batting

That his second triple-hundred, a better-than-run-a-ball 319 against South Africa in Chennai came in a run-fest often obscures the fact that India started the innings trying to save the Test, facing 540. By the time Sehwag finished, he was speaking of winning it. His previous century, an uncharacteristically stodgy 151 in Adelaide had been a decidedly match-saving effort, on the final day of the Test. It was the only time, Sehwag reflects with pride, that he went an entire session without hitting a four.

It is in the hitting of fours that Sehwag reveals his true genius. Fours are the foundation of his batting, and he is obsessive about them. During an interview last year, we asked him which bowlers he found most difficult. McGrath and Murali, Sehwag said. The reason: he couldn't hit them for fours when he wanted to.

No plan to tie Sehwag down has ever succeeded. Nasser Hussain managed to frustrate Tendulkar for long periods in 2001 by getting Ashley Giles to bowl two feet outside the leg stump from over the wicket. The matter came to an excruciating pass in the Bangalore Test, where Giles bowled 99 dots balls to Tendulkar out of 112. Sehwag, playing in his fourth Test then, found a refreshingly simple way to put an end to the nonsense. He went wide of his leg stump, down the wicket, and clouted Giles back over his head. Of his 66 runs, 27 came against Giles, with six fours. It was infectious: soon Tendulkar hit Giles for two consecutive fours and was stumped, for the first time in his career, after charging down to hit a third.

The theme has continued through Sehwag's career. At the Brabourne Stadium yesterday, Murali set the leg trap with a forward short leg, short mid-on, and midwicket. Inevitably the next ball was pitched on middle and spun across outside leg. And inevitably Sehwag hit it for four. Reverse-swept to third man. Later in the day, he played a paddle reverse-sweep against the same bowler, this time to a faster and slightly shorter ball.

And when Rangana Herath fired the first ball of the 60th over down the leg side, Sehwag cast a quizzical glance at the umpire, protesting perhaps that the ball should have been called a wide. And then proceeded to deal with the matter himself by twice jumping wide and far down the wicket to loft the ball, inside out, over extra cover. Throughout the innings he found ways to score in boundaries, through drives and lofted shots, and equally, with chips and deft touches. One ball from Chanaka Welegedara he deflected off the face of his bat past second slip.

It was his ability to strike fear in the hearts of the bowlers that set Richards apart. It can be argued that bowling stocks were healthier in that age, but a man can't be held guilty of not being able to choose his circumstances. It's futile wondering how Richards would fared in the 90s and the noughties. Against the best that his times have offered him, Sehwag has been more destructive than even Richards. Let's cut out the buts now.

All OK, still..... :twisted: [/tscii:0ca176a8b6]

[Sourav]

Most runs Player Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 0 4s 6s
V Sehwag (India) 3* 4 0 491 293 122.75 454 108.14 2 1 0 68 9

:clap: :bow:

[Sourav]

POLL - Best test innings of viru....coming soon... :boo:
i was waiting 4 the final test....athula yethachum adippanu thonuchu,,,, happened,,, :P :D

[Sourav]

Viru's test innings list:

http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/35263.html?class=1;orderby=batted_score;template=r esults;type=batting;view=innings



Poll options.

319 (304) v South Africa Chennai 26 Mar 2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/332911.html)

309 (375) v Pakistan Multan 28 Mar 2004 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64081.html)

293 (254) v Sri Lanka Mumbai (BS) 2 Dec 2009 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/430883.html)

254 (247) v Pakistan Lahore 13 Jan 2006 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/232615.html)

201*(231) v Sri Lanka Galle 31 Jul 2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/343730.html)

195 (233) v Australia Melbourne 26 Dec 2003 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64061.html)

180 (190) v West Indies Gros Islet 10 Jun 2006 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/239921.html)

155 (221) v Australia Chennai 14 Oct 2004 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64100.html)

151 (236) v Australia Adelaide 24 Jan 2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/291354.html)

83 (68) v England Chennai 11 Dec 2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/361050.html)

[VinodKumar's]

POLL - Best test innings of viru....coming soon... :boo:
i was waiting 4 the final test....athula yethachum adippanu thonuchu,,,, happened,,, :P :D

ithellam adikirathukku munnadiyae sollanum BOSS :lol:

[Sourav]

:lol2: ella match-um than adippannu ethirpakkuren, nadanthuruma... :lol: summa oru bit-i poda vendiyathu than,,, :P

[ajithfederer]

My vote will be for 83 against England in Madras. Its ironic that for many batsmen the fifties are more captivating than their hundreds.

[VinodKumar's]

My vote will be for 83 against England in Madras. Its ironic that for many batsmen the fifties are more captivating than their hundreds.

:2thumbsup: ennodathum athukku thaan

[Sourav]

:cool2:
strauss scored century in both inng. (123, 108) but, viru won the M.O.M with that blistering innings 83.... :bow:
poll monday add panren....(vera yethachum suggestion varuthannu paarpom)..

[MADDY]

My vote will be for 83 against England in Madras. Its ironic that for many batsmen the fifties are more captivating than their hundreds.

:2thumbsup: ennodathum athukku thaan

i remember a commentator telling that a 30 or 40 from sachin, Lara is much better to watch than other batsmen's 100 - i think that fits perfectly for sehwag as well........ 8-)

[Sourav]

Let us now worship Viru

Sehwag is no cricketer; he is a religion all by himself
Jarrod Kimber
December 4, 2009

The credit crunch, global warming, Barack Obama's peace prize, Michael Jackson dying, and your favourite pop starlet being voted off some reality singing contest all seem like important events worthy of your time, thought and attention.

They are not. Your time, thought and attention should be dedicated to the cricket-themed religion that will enhance your spirit, make you better-looking and improve every single facet of your daily existence.

The religion is Sehwagology. Although some people like to think of it as an applied religious philosophy.

The 28th of March 2008 was a special date, and yet you may not know why. It was the day this new religion was born, and the one true prophet, Virender Sehwag, delivered it from the pitch in Chennai while bedaubed in the blood of the poor South African bowlers.

That day the prophet delivered 319 reasons to live your life the way he bats. See ball, hit ball.

It isn't complicated. There are no books you need to buy. You don't have to spend 10 years studying or praying. There is no need to be donating your hard-earned cash. No one is going to make you feel bad for doing it wrong. You can marry outside the faith. Practise your beliefs any day of the week. And you can eat whatever the hell you want.

It is simple and pure.

Everything you need to know is in one mantra. You just need to see the ball, and hit the ball. There is no need for doubt, panic or confusion.

Imagine every decision in your life is a cricket delivery coming down at you, then become Sehwag: see ball, hit ball. Maybe it is a tough one, an inswinging yorker - you just dig it out. The next one is a wide one and you slap it over cover. The one after that is wide too, and you miss it. Never mind, there will be more. There is always more. You will miss some and you will hit some, but don't fret about the ones you miss, and don't dine out on the ones you hit. What more do you need to know about life?

He is the zen master of hitting. Nothing fazes him. Every ball is a new ball. A mystery ball is treated the same way as a slower ball: he sees it, he hits it.

On the second day of this Test he screamed in the ear of the doubters. Wielded a club to the head of the non-believers. And threw a nuke bomb at the groin of the heretics. It was as if he was playing a magical game of cricket where there were no fielders, no bowlers, no non-striker, just him, his mantra, and lots of runs.

Whether you are a millionaire, a pauper, a freegan, a vegan, someone who sells stolen mobile phone chargers, or Tom Cruise, Sehwagology can help you.

It is the alpha and omega of religions; can you really afford to live without it? [tscii:acefd6d7d7][/tscii:acefd6d7d7]
http://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/438023.html

[ajithfederer]

Naah, in terms of bowling attacks faced test cricket of the 70's and 80's were much competitive. Those were the days of unofficial 5 bouncers an over times. Pitches weren't as bad as these days. Lots of factors comeup. Not to discredit shewag but he is not in the league of richards.



[tscii:2fb0e0755b]http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/438062.html


Sehwag more destructive than Richards
Time to cut out the buts and salute Sehwag for what he is: one of the greats of batting
Sambit Bal
December 4, 2009

Comments: 55 | Text size: A | A

Virender Sehwag: agent 007 in cricket whites © Associated Press
Related Links
Players/Officials: Virender Sehwag
Matches: India v Sri Lanka at Mumbai (BS)
Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka tour of India
Teams: India
When Virender Sehwag gets going, it's like you're watching a James Bond movie. He can drive a car over a cliff, dodge bullets, fight off 20 armed men bare-handed - all of it while wearing a crisp suit, which remains uncrumpled. Only that in Sehwag's case it is all for real: each of those strokes can get him out.

In causing stroke-making to appear so outrageously simple, Sehwag does himself a disservice. Often the true quality of a batting performance is judged by what the batsman is up against, the kind of bowlers on offer, and the conditions. But when Sehwag starts to rain fours and sixes, it becomes impossible to make sense of anything: the bowlers appear fangless, the pitches seem highways, and the match situation becomes absolutely irrelevant.

Sometimes the batsmen who follow him help put the matter in perspective by appearing human, but often the opponents have been left too scarred by the shellacking to recover their wits. In Chennai last December, India found themselves chasing 387 on a wearing pitch. The enduring image of the match is of Sachin Tendulkar's delicately swept four off Graeme Swann to bring up his 41st hundred and the Indian victory; but in a match featuring four centuries, the decisive innings had come from Sehwag: an astonishing 68-ball 83 in the final session of the fourth day that brought he target down to just over 300 in a flash. In a mere 20 overs, England had slipped from being firm favourites to fumbling underdogs.

The most staggering aspect of Sehwag's career, of course, is that a batsman so outrageous should be so prolific. The words used to describe him - entertainer, destroyer, maverick, match-winner - fail to capture the whole essence of Sehwag. And perhaps because of his methods there has been a reluctance to place him alongside the gods of batting. But there is little left for him to prove now: he is a stunning and extraordinary batsman, to whom the term "great" should be applied without qualifications.

His numbers are up there with the very best. Seventy-two Tests is substantial sample, and over 6000 runs at over 50, with 17 hundreds, comfortably stands up to statistical scrutiny. But there is one number that sets him apart. No batsman in the history of cricket has scored his runs as quickly. In the list of batsmen to have scored 6000 Test runs, he, with a strike-rate of just over 80, stands more than 10 points adrift of the next best man. That man, Viv Richards, scored his runs at a shade below 70.

Reduce the qualification to 5000 runs and there are only two men who have been recorded to have scored faster. But both Kapil Dev and Adam Gilchrist batted at No. 7; Kapil averaged only 31.50, and Sehwag has 700 more runs in 14 fewer Tests than Gilchrist, whose average was boosted by 20 not-outs as against Sehwag's five.

On a more like-like for list, of contemporary top-order batsmen, Sehwag stands miles ahead. Sachin Tendulkar (12,917 runs at 54.73) has a strike-rate of 54.12, Ricky Ponting (11,400 runs at 55.88) scores at a rate of 59.41, Matthew Hayden (8625 runs at 50.73) got his at 60.10, and Brian Lara (11,953 runs at 52.88) at 60.51. Sanath Jayasuriya comes closest, with a strike-rate of 65.10, but his average is just over 40.

But of course, numbers are merely the starting point. Greatness is judged by a number of other factors. Quality of opponents, versatility, the ability to score in different conditions, and most of all being able to turn up when it matters. Sehwag ticks all these boxes emphatically.

His first hundred came in his debut Test, on a lively pitch in Bloemfontein after India had lost four wickets for not many. He has gone on to score big hundreds in diverse conditions in Nottingham, Melbourne, Chennai, Mumbai, Lahore and Galle. He has collared Shane Warne, shredded Shoaib Akhthar, got the better of Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, finished off Saqlain Mushtaq's career, and walloped Mutthiah Muralitharan like no one, including Lara, has before. He has set up wins and saved more Tests than he is given credit for.



The words used to describe him - entertainer, destroyer, maverick, match-winner - fail to capture the whole essence of Sehwag. And perhaps because of his methods there has been a reluctance to place him alongside the gods of batting

That his second triple-hundred, a better-than-run-a-ball 319 against South Africa in Chennai came in a run-fest often obscures the fact that India started the innings trying to save the Test, facing 540. By the time Sehwag finished, he was speaking of winning it. His previous century, an uncharacteristically stodgy 151 in Adelaide had been a decidedly match-saving effort, on the final day of the Test. It was the only time, Sehwag reflects with pride, that he went an entire session without hitting a four.

It is in the hitting of fours that Sehwag reveals his true genius. Fours are the foundation of his batting, and he is obsessive about them. During an interview last year, we asked him which bowlers he found most difficult. McGrath and Murali, Sehwag said. The reason: he couldn't hit them for fours when he wanted to.

No plan to tie Sehwag down has ever succeeded. Nasser Hussain managed to frustrate Tendulkar for long periods in 2001 by getting Ashley Giles to bowl two feet outside the leg stump from over the wicket. The matter came to an excruciating pass in the Bangalore Test, where Giles bowled 99 dots balls to Tendulkar out of 112. Sehwag, playing in his fourth Test then, found a refreshingly simple way to put an end to the nonsense. He went wide of his leg stump, down the wicket, and clouted Giles back over his head. Of his 66 runs, 27 came against Giles, with six fours. It was infectious: soon Tendulkar hit Giles for two consecutive fours and was stumped, for the first time in his career, after charging down to hit a third.

The theme has continued through Sehwag's career. At the Brabourne Stadium yesterday, Murali set the leg trap with a forward short leg, short mid-on, and midwicket. Inevitably the next ball was pitched on middle and spun across outside leg. And inevitably Sehwag hit it for four. Reverse-swept to third man. Later in the day, he played a paddle reverse-sweep against the same bowler, this time to a faster and slightly shorter ball.

And when Rangana Herath fired the first ball of the 60th over down the leg side, Sehwag cast a quizzical glance at the umpire, protesting perhaps that the ball should have been called a wide. And then proceeded to deal with the matter himself by twice jumping wide and far down the wicket to loft the ball, inside out, over extra cover. Throughout the innings he found ways to score in boundaries, through drives and lofted shots, and equally, with chips and deft touches. One ball from Chanaka Welegedara he deflected off the face of his bat past second slip.

It was his ability to strike fear in the hearts of the bowlers that set Richards apart. It can be argued that bowling stocks were healthier in that age, but a man can't be held guilty of not being able to choose his circumstances. It's futile wondering how Richards would fared in the 90s and the noughties. Against the best that his times have offered him, Sehwag has been more destructive than even Richards. Let's cut out the buts now.

All OK, still..... :twisted: [/tscii:2fb0e0755b]

[VinodKumar's]

My vote will be for 83 against England in Madras. Its ironic that for many batsmen the fifties are more captivating than their hundreds.

:2thumbsup: ennodathum athukku thaan

i remember a commentator telling that a 30 or 40 from sachin, Lara is much better to watch than other batsmen's 100 - i think that fits perfectly for sehwag as well........ 8-)

shewag in 30/40 group or he is in 100 group ...

:D

anyway ennala antha statement ah yae othukka mudila ...

[Bala (Karthik)]

Vinodkumar,
Do you want that sentence translated for you to understand?

"shewag in 30/40 group or he is in 100 group ..."
- Baas, so you are putting Sehwag in that "other people's (100) group"?! Adha thaan naangalum solrom, Sachin/Lara's 30/40 > other people's 100 whether it is Kaattadi or Kattai ad (adhaanga kuttichavaru)i :lol2:

Feddy,
Podisunga ellam ippo kudhikka aarambikkum. Neenga enna da na innamum ippadi veguliya irukkeenga! :twisted: This joker dude was belching something on the day Sachin hit that century (OZ 5th ODI), can you believe it, ON THAT DAY!!! :lol:

[Sourav]

Feddy,
Podisunga ellam ippo kudhikka aarambikkum. Neenga enna da na innamum ippadi veguliya irukkeenga! :twisted: This joker dude was belching something on the day Sachin hit that century (OZ 5th ODI), can you believe it, ON THAT DAY!!! :lol:
first "kanda naai naringa ellam"nu pottathukku ithu paravalla... :)
enga (viru supporters) mela apdi enna kovam naai naringanu ellam solra alavukku?

[Sourav]

I am not disappointed, says Sehwag
http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/05/stories/2009120562472000.htm

[Sourav]

Sehwag: New don
Partha Bhaduri, TOI Crest 5 December 2009, 03:45am IST

Let's get this straight once and for all: Virender Sehwag is no simpleton. He is no egghead either. Not for him the psychobabble of the analyst,

or the technical twaddle of the cricket intelligentsia. Yet, if intuition is the clear concept of the whole at once, Sehwag is the most perceptive and resourceful batsman to have infused fresh life into the game. He deals in impact, not insight; atmospherics, not statistics. And by doing so consistently, unwaveringly, often too easily, he has transmogrified from a wildly-gifted maverick to the wily warlord who makes opposition plans redundant.

Like all things magic, The Sehwag Effect is intangible. You cannot grasp his allure because he contains multitudes. And that makes him the greatest modern batsman so many have been privileged to watch. His aura is Bradmanesque. That he fell seven short, at Brabourne, of becoming the first man ever to score three triple centuries should be testament enough. In a way, though, this dismissal, when so achingly close to scaling a rarified peak, wasn't surprising. Sehwag doesn't know how to play merely for the numbers. It is not his calling to be workmanlike.

A venerated cricket writer, now deceased, would often casually remark how he had stopped thinking about Sehwag's game, stopped scrutinising his batsmanship. "He has proved the game wrong," he would say, "There is no one certain way to learn how to bat. No one knew he would grow into this. No one but he himself." Sehwag will typically wink and nod at these words. Unlike so many others of his ilk, he was never asked to fit into certain defintions. He built his own edifice, borrowing liberally from what he saw around him, and he liked what he built. Like the Don, his greatest strength was he knew his own game better than anyone else, and could modify accordingly. History, like hindsight, could follow.

Who else but Sehwag would have the gumption to throw away a world-record opening partnership, then casually remark that he had never even heard of Pankaj Roy or Vinoo Mankad? Why, wasn't he bigger than both of them? Did they ever dominate like he did? Who else could say he had "never been in the zone", that he didn't know what the term meant, not even after becoming the first Indian batsman to score six double tons? At the same time, who else could read Ajantha Mendis better when the freakish carrom flicks first burst onto the scene, bamboozling some of the greatest players of spin? His is a mind which is always ticking, seeing all, filing away every bit of new info somewhere to glean for future reference. No wonder Sehwag has already played more epochal innings than any other Indian batsman of his generation. No other Indian batsman has had such match-winning impact whenever he has scored big. Yes, including Tendulkar.

Which is why, after he had ended the second day's play in the third Test against Sri Lanka on an unbeaten 284, the talking point was not just how ridiculous he had made the bowlers look, but how the Lankan tail, by chewing up overs in the morning, had denied him a triple ton in a single day's play. Who else but Bradman could command such ascendancy, petrify bowlers in this fashion? More grist for those who want to wrack their brains over exactly where Sehwag fits in the pantheon of batting greats.

He has been flaunting his art in an era chock full of great strokeplayers like the often-nonpareil Sachin Tendulkar, the sublime Ricky Ponting, the prolific Mahela Jayawardene, the destructive Matthew Hayden, the nonchalant Inzamam, the perfectionist Dravid. And the poetic Brian Lara, of course. When he started out, Sehwag's stance, his demeanour, the whip to square leg, sometimes even the drive, resembled Tendulkar's.

He has admitted modelling himself, consciously, on Sachin. Sehwag, though, was not interested in mastering the method of consolidation most greats make their own. His approach to batting, though not flippant, appeared adventurous. Not for him the slow crawl in the 90s, or the 190s. Not for him the prudence in batting for lunch or tea. Often he gets to a double before the second new ball is taken. Yet, attributing it all to mere hand-eye coordination will be folly.

A Sunil Gavaskar or a Ponting, or even a Tendulkar when well set and in full flow, will bring oodles of temperance and method into play, craft a model innings with steely intent. A Sehwag, in contrast, will audaciously up the ante with a reverse sweeping so fine that it brushes the 'keeper's right leg, rush down for a predetermined hoick to the spinner bowling around the wicket, frustrate a pacer with cheeky glides square of the wicket, flick a delivery outside off behind square. Yet he will get those big hundreds, all along working the singles and prying out the gaps in the field with the eagle eye of a stealth predator.

The impeccable balance will defy logic, even when the feet don't appear to move. The trademark high backlift -- and resultant batspeed -- will lend immense power, yet enable him to change his stroke at the last instant. When Sehwag launches to put bat to ball, no one can be sure if he will block or belt. The backlift gives nothing away. This is why Sehwag has so much time, and maybe four different strokes for the same delivery.

Above all, his organised mind will be the master of puppets, coordinating the body, yet never getting in the way. That is a must or Sehwag won't be himself. Nothing crushes instinct, or inventiveness, like hesitation. Elevating opening to a new level doesn't come without honing such mental skills. Sehwag has done so by chiselling his simplicity of approach into an art form. This is precisely why he is bigger than the sum of his parts. No one, not even a Ponting or a Tendulkar or a Viv Richards, could score so many runs for so long at such brisk pace.

The Richards comparison is obvious, in terms of sheer intent to dominate, but scratch the surface and differences emerge. Richards rode on in-your-face braggadocio, imposing his superiority all too evidently at times. He was the superhero flaunting his muscles, the swagger poking a dagger through opposition hearts even before he got off the mark. His body language was downright derisive to bowlers. Sehwag is no rampaging bull; not for him such over-the-top theatrics.

To ease nerves, he will sing bhajans, casually chat up the umpire, make it look as if he doesn't care. Maybe at times when he throws his wicket away, or refuses to bat according to the situation, it looks as if he actually doesn't. But, then, if Sehwag was petrified of losing his wicket every time he walked out, he would be half the batsman he is. That's also why he is selfless, running the hard single for his opposite number, rejoicing when Gambhir scores another century. He is the smiling assassin who makes it all look like a jaunt through a Najafgarh alley.

And this is where the Bradman analogy comes in. Like the Don, Sehwag is extremely difficult to put in context. They both make the rest of the best irrelevant. There is the common reliance on balance. Both were never put in a straitjacket or taught how to bat. Both were unorthodox and not fixated about correctness, yet their techniques were near-foolproof, a doff of the hat to those who relied solely on the copybook.

Of course, off the field, Sehwag will never be the grand statesman of the game in a way the Don was. Eras have changed, and straight-ahead comparisons are odious. Unlike Bradman, Sehwag played on flatter pitches in the modern era. Yet, he has had to contend with three different formats, and doesn't have to necessarily change his game for either. Sometimes he will think too much in a One-day innings, and the calculatedly rash approach will be his undoing.

Unlike Bradman, the batsman who copyrighted the numbers game, Sehwag might not end up as the highest run-getter even among his contemporaries. Yet, with bat in hand, he exudes a joy which cannot be framed in figures, just like the Don did. With each memorable innings, like the one at Brabourne, Sehwag's aura glows even brighter.
[tscii:f35d5c281a][/tscii:f35d5c281a]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/sri-lanka-in-india-2009/top-stories/Sehwag-New-don/articleshow/5303080.cms

[Bala (Karthik)]

Feddy,
Podisunga ellam ippo kudhikka aarambikkum. Neenga enna da na innamum ippadi veguliya irukkeenga! :twisted: This joker dude was belching something on the day Sachin hit that century (OZ 5th ODI), can you believe it, ON THAT DAY!!! :lol:
first "kanda naai naringa ellam"nu pottathukku ithu paravalla... :)
enga (viru supporters) mela apdi enna kovam naai naringanu ellam solra alavukku?
30.40/100 group ngaradha thappa purinjukitten. So let me tranlstae it to myself first :oops:

Unconditional apology to Vinod, please accept my apologies :notworthy:. Even if that's tough i understand and shouldn't be complaining....

As for the other thing and why i said that, please check PM Saurav :twisted:

[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOICH/2009/12/04/18/Img/Pc0180800.jpg

‘We needed 20 fielders to stop Sehwag’

Mumbai: Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss on Friday made a candid confession that his team would have required 20 fielders to stop Virender Sehwag when the India opener went hammer and tongs after their bowlers.
Sehwag dominated day two of the third and final Test with an unbeaten 284 off 239 balls and nearly became the first cricketer to score three triple hundreds before falling seven-run shy of the mark this morning.
“Today Sehwag was out probably through exhaustion. In this innings it didn’t matter what we did. We changed plans, we changed the length we bowled, but he was still about to hit the ball wherever he wanted,” Bayliss said.
“It was one of those days where we wanted 20 fielders because he hit the ball so well,” said the astounded coach. Asked whether it was the best knock he had ever seen, Bayliss said, “I cannot remember too many more hard-hitting (innings). His ball striking was good to watch.” PTI [tscii:d7f9c41b09][/tscii:d7f9c41b09]

[VinodKumar's]

np bala ...

:oops: i shud have typed that in tamizh correct ah purinjurukum ...

naan onnum pannalinga summa sorinjukittu thaan irunthaen :lol: (Moonru mugam lollu sabha dialogue)

yaravathu rajini fan vanthu thappa purinja poraanga :lol2:

[steveaustin]

http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/438062.html


Sehwag more destructive than Richards

:banghead: :sigh2:
ஷப்பா.... ஆஸ்டின் செத்துட்டான்.
ஆஹா ஒரு குரூப்பா தான்யா அலையறானுங்க. இவனுங்க எல்லாம் பழைய காலத்து போலிங்கையே பார்த்தது இல்ல போல இருக்கு. இந்த ஒப்பீடு தேவை இல்லாதது.

[19thmay]

I am getting irritated if people compares different generations. How this can work? absurd! Bradman, Richards - they are all great. Even if some one surpasses their records that doesn't mean that the later is better than the legends. Lot of things are there!

Digr:

Bala - This apply to meesik also [ Your comparison between MSV < ARR + IR]. Cricket-ku oru nyayam music-ku oru nyayama? :twisted:

[Bala (Karthik)]

I am getting irritated if people compares different generations. How this can work? absurd! Bradman, Richards - they are all great. Even if some one surpasses their records that doesn't mean that the later is better than the legends. Lot of things are there!

Sridhar/Steve,
I quoted that article and said "ellam ok" only in terms of 'statistics' mentioned there. Avvalavu dhaan. Enakku Sehwag pidikkadhu (avar great ngaradhu vera vishayam) enbadhu mike pottu yerkanave announce panniyachu. Its just that god has a whacked out wicked sense of humor. IMO Sachin, Lara, Richards ellam vera league. This is my preference

Sridhar,
As for your point about music, that was not a comparison to determine "who is the best among the 3" or whatever. It was just a conjecture with respect to the specific context of Oscars, based on our understanding of their styles and what they had already achieved in terms of breaking barriers.

Sehwag fans, i have overstayed, pardon me :razz:

[MADDY]

:banghead: :sigh2:
ஷப்பா.... ஆஸ்டின் செத்துட்டான்.
ஆஹா ஒரு குரூப்பா தான்யா அலையறானுங்க. இவனுங்க எல்லாம் பழைய காலத்து போலிங்கையே பார்த்தது இல்ல போல இருக்கு. இந்த ஒப்பீடு தேவை இல்லாதது.

palaya kaalathhu bowlers-um sehwag madhiri oru batsman-a paathhadhilla....i would say, richards never faced a waqar or wasim or shane warne...............but i agree that its very unfotunate that someone had the perversion to compare Richards with someone and call him better than richards......


Its just that god has a whacked out wicked sense of humor.

//odambu edhavadhu seri illaya Bala?? :lol2://

i agree 100% to ur point- sehwag is a different genre in batting, maybe like the himesh wave we saw in bollywood some years back :lol:

[steveaustin]

Sridhar/Steve,
I quoted that article and said "ellam ok" only in terms of 'statistics' mentioned there. Avvalavu dhaan. Enakku Sehwag pidikkadhu (avar great ngaradhu vera vishayam) enbadhu mike pottu yerkanave announce panniyachu. Its just that god has a whacked out wicked sense of humor.
Bala,
That is not pointed at you. It is pointed only against the Cricinfo and the media. My point is, as the media want to make money, they are degrading the cricketers of different generations. :)


IMO Sachin, Lara, Richards ellam vera league.
:exactly:

[venkkiram]

IMO Sachin, Lara, Richards ellam vera league.
:exactly:

விளையாடிய டெஸ்ட்கள் இதுவரை...

ரிச்சர்ட்ஸ் - 121, சச்சின் - 162, லாரா - 131, ஷேவாஹ் - 72

சிறந்த ஆட்டக்காரர் என்ற விருதினை பெற்ற ஆட்டங்களின் விவரங்களைப் பார்த்தால்..

ரிச்சர்ட்ஸ் - 10, சச்சின் - 12, லாரா - 12, ஷேவாஹ் - 7

அனைவரும் ஒரு ஆட்டத்தின் சராசரியாக 50 ரன்களுக்கு மேல் பெற்றிருக்கிறார்கள்.

சச்சினையும் ரிச்சர்ட்ஸையும் ஒரே கூடையில் போடும்போது ஷேவாஹையும் தாராளாமாக சேர்க்கலாம்.

என்னைப் பொறுத்தவரை , எந்த ஆட்டக்காரர் களத்தில் இருக்கும்போது பார்க்கக் கூடிய ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் வெற்றியின் மீதான நம்பகத்தன்மை அதிகமாக இருக்கிறதோ அவரே மகத்தான வீரர்.

அந்தக் கண்ணோட்டத்தில் பார்க்கும்போது, ஷேவாஹின் பெயர் எந்தவித கூடையிலும் முக்கியத்துவம் பெறும் வகையில் இடம்பெறும்.

[steveaustin]

ஒரே கூடையில் போட்டாலும் ஆரஞ்சும், ஆப்பிளும் வெவ்வேறு பழங்கள் தானே. நீங்கள் சொன்ன கோனத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்த்தால் அது சரியானதே. மேலும் எனது கோணம் வேறு. தங்களது கோணம் வேறு. நான் நீங்கள் சொன்ன கோணத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்க்கவில்லை. நான் எந்த கோணத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்க்கிறேன் என்பதை எனது அடுத்த பதிவில் தெரிவிக்கிறேன். :)

[Prabo]

ஒரே கூடையில் போட்டாலும் ஆரஞ்சும், ஆப்பிளும் வெவ்வேறு பழங்கள் தானே. நீங்கள் சொன்ன கோனத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்த்தால் அது சரியானதே. மேலும் எனது கோணம் வேறு. தங்களது கோணம் வேறு. நான் நீங்கள் சொன்ன கோணத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்க்கவில்லை. நான் எந்த கோணத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்க்கிறேன் என்பதை எனது அடுத்த பதிவில் தெரிவிக்கிறேன். :)

அப்பப்பா எத்தனை கோணம் :lol:

[HonestRaj]

என்னைப் பொறுத்தவரை , எந்த ஆட்டக்காரர் களத்தில் இருக்கும்போது பார்க்கக் கூடிய ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் வெற்றியின் மீதான நம்பகத்தன்மை அதிகமாக இருக்கிறதோ அவரே மகத்தான வீரர்.

Sehwag'ai porutha varai idhu mutrilum unmai......

oru chase'la avaru out aagama irundha.. "eppadiyum vetri namakku" enru anaivarum nambikkayoda match parppargal .. eppodhum Sachin mEl veikkum nambikkaiyil ippodhu Sehwag'um serndhu kondar

[venkkiram]

சிறந்த ஆட்டக்காரர் என்ற விருதினை பெற்ற ஆட்டங்களின் விவரங்களைப் பார்த்தால்..

ரிச்சர்ட்ஸ் - 10, சச்சின் - 12, லாரா - 12, ஷேவாஹ் - 7



சிறந்த ஆட்டக்காரர் என்ற விருதினை பெற்ற ஆட்டங்களின் விவரங்களைப் பார்த்தால்..

ரிச்சர்ட்ஸ் - 10, சச்சின் - 12, லாரா - 12, ஷேவாஹ் - 7 (இப்போது 8)

[venkkiram]

என்னைப் பொறுத்தவரை , எந்த ஆட்டக்காரர் களத்தில் இருக்கும்போது பார்க்கக் கூடிய ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் வெற்றியின் மீதான நம்பகத்தன்மை அதிகமாக இருக்கிறதோ அவரே மகத்தான வீரர்.

ஷேவாஹை பொருத்த வரை இது முற்றிலும் உண்மை......

ஒரு சேசி'ல அவரு அவுட் ஆகாம இருந்தால்.. "எப்படியும் வெற்றி நமக்கு" என்று அனைவரும் நம்பிக்கையோட மேட்ச் பார்ப்பர்கள் .. எப்பொதும் சச்சின் மேல் வைக்கும் நம்பிக்கையில் இப்பொது ஷேவாஹும் சேர்ந்து கொண்டார்

நான் சொல்ல வந்ததில் இன்னொரு விஷயமும் அடங்கும்.

டெஸ்டை பொருத்தவரை ஷேவாஹ் இருக்கும்போது தொண்ணுறு சதவிகிதம் டிராவாக மாறக்கூடிய ஆட்டங்களை வெற்றியாக மாற்றிக்காட்டுவதில் முக்கியமான ஒருவராக திகழ்கிறார்.

இப்போது நடந்து முடிந்த டெஸ்டிலும் கூட, 292 ரன்களை Strike rate 50, 60 ரன்களோடு எடுத்திருந்தால், அவர் 293 ரன்களை கடக்க குறைந்தது 95 ஓவர்களாவது களத்தில் சந்தித்து நின்றிருக்கக் கூடும். ஆனால் இவரோ வெறும் 42 ஓவர்களே சந்தித்து, 50க்கும் மேலான ஓவர்களுக்கான நேரத்தை சேமித்துக் கொடுத்திருக்கிறார். இதனால் வெற்றிக்கான நிகழ்தகவுகள் அதிகப்படியாக அமைந்து, எளிதாக அடைய வழி செய்கிறது.

பத்தோடு ஒன்று பதினொன்றாக டிரா என்ற பெயரில் முடியவேன்டிய டெஸ்ட் இது என்பதை 109, 99, 87, 293, 74, 53, 62, 100, 54, 137, 53 என இரு அணி வீரர்களும் எடுத்த ரன்களைப் பார்க்கும் போதே புலப்படும்.

என்னுடைய சாராம்சம் இதுதான்.. ஒரே பதிவில் ஒரு மறுபதிவு.

டெஸ்டை பொருத்தவரை ஷேவாஹ் இருக்கும்போது தொண்ணுறு சதவிகிதம் டிராவாக மாறக்கூடிய ஆட்டங்களை வெற்றியாக மாற்றிக்காட்டுவதில் முக்கியமான ஒருவராக திகழ்கிறார்.

[19thmay]

Venks,

(Ungala maadhri ennala porumaya thamizh-la type adika mudiyaadhu)

Neenga solradha ellthayum avungalum othukiraanga. Avunga point of view vera, statistics porutha varaikum ellam ok/fine/agreed but ivarayum,avungalayum orey plate-la vaika mudiyala. There is something more than statistics. Ippo ennala Sachin-oda Sehwag-a equate panna mudila and for them same applicable to Lara, Richards etc...

[venkkiram]

Avunga point of view vera, statistics porutha varaikum ellam ok/fine/agreed but ivarayum,avungalayum orey plate-la vaika mudiyala.

am eager to know how they bring sachin, lara and richards in one basket and keep sehwag away from it.


There is something more than statistics.

agreed100%. There is still something special on sehwag side also.


Ippo ennala Sachin-oda Sehwag-a equate panna mudila and for them same applicable to Lara, Richards etc...

can understand to some extent that sachin and sehwag can not be comparable . but don't know how Lara and Richards too ?

Mr steveaustin says orange can not be compared to apple. agreed. but wonder how lara, sachin and richards are being treated under same fruit ?

explaining this context in a layman point of view will be highly appreciated.

[Sourav]

Sehwag: The ecstasy and agony of 293
http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?id=1142&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Sehwag:+The+ecstasy+and+agony+of+293




http://www.ptinews.com/news/411019_I-am-grateful-to-Ganguly--says-Sehwag
I am grateful to Ganguly, says Sehwag
Mumbai, Dec 6 (PTI) India batsman Virender Sehwag today expressed his gratitude to Sourav Ganguly, saying it was the former skipper who instilled confidence in him by giving him the opportunity to open the innings.

"I shall always be grateful to Sourav. He was the one who brought me up from middle-order to open the innings. He told me that if I don?t perform as an opener then I will be shifted to the middle-order," Sehwag said, when asked about the turning point of his career.

The Delhi dasher cracked a blistering 293 in the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka to help India win the match and wrapped up the series 2-0 here today.

Sehwag's 254-ball innings bagged him the Man of the Match and the Player of the Series and helped India become the Number one Test side in the world.[tscii:568af7e00c][/tscii:568af7e00c]




http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Briefly-Cricket/550630
Gambhir follows his ‘favourite’
Mumbai: After receiving the best cricketer of the year award, Gautam Gambhir said that he was very happy to receive it in the year after his favourite player Virender Sehwag got it. "Last year Sehwag said that he was happy to receive it after his favourite player (Sachin) had got it. Now I am happy to receive it after my favourite player (Sehwag)," he said. Meanwhile, Mohinder Amarnath was awarded the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.

[Dinesh84]

I am grateful to Ganguly: Sehwag

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/06/i-am-grateful-to-ganguly-says-sehwag.htm

[VinodKumar's]

He also forgot Rahul

:sigh2:

Rahul supported him during 2007 world cup when vengserkar was not interested in including shewag in the squad ...and the consequences dravid faced were :cry3:

ennada ulagam ithu ...

[Appu s]

I am grateful to Ganguly: Sehwag

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/06/i-am-grateful-to-ganguly-says-sehwag.htm

:thumbsup:
sourav the future President of BCCI will be happy to hear this :P

[MADDY]

I am grateful to Ganguly: Sehwag

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/06/i-am-grateful-to-ganguly-says-sehwag.htm

:thumbsup:
sourav the future President of BCCI will be happy to hear this :P

he should be but dunno if he has that amount of money (as pawar or dalmiya)......but this is a good testimony to the fact that sourav is the real architecht of BCCI victories of this decade 8-)

[Appu s]

I am grateful to Ganguly: Sehwag

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/06/i-am-grateful-to-ganguly-says-sehwag.htm

:thumbsup:
sourav the future President of BCCI will be happy to hear this :P

he should be but dunno if he has that amount of money (as pawar or dalmiya)......but this is a good testimony to the fact that sourav is the real architecht of BCCI victories of this decade 8-)

if the world is there after 2012, there is no person to stop him become a President :lol: :P

[steveaustin]

[tscii:ae09f82c91]
ஒரே கூடையில் போட்டாலும் ஆரஞ்சும், ஆப்பிளும் வெவ்வேறு பழங்கள் தானே. நீங்கள் சொன்ன கோனத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்த்தால் அது சரியானதே. மேலும் எனது கோணம் வேறு. தங்களது கோணம் வேறு. நான் நீங்கள் சொன்ன கோணத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்க்கவில்லை. நான் எந்த கோணத்தில் சேவாக்கை பார்க்கிறேன் என்பதை எனது அடுத்த பதிவில் தெரிவிக்கிறேன். :)

Even though the tests have been played over 125 years, only a few players have dominated the great theatre with their flair, skills and stage presence for nearly two decades. In sport, there are some names that seem almost inextricably knotted with certain events. We cannot think of one without simultaneously thinking of other. But then, for all the heroics that had enacted at playgrounds, for all the splendid portions of drama that we’ve witnessed on the great stage featuring larger-than-life champions, there is more to the cricket than their team’s successes. Only the players with their exclusive batting skills have mastered the unpredictable pitches. Rest of them certainly failed to do so in the pitches all over the world. You have not seen a competitor with a great strength of will nor one who displayed as much courage in the face of adversity. How many times we’ve seen the great men battle back with grand style with their magical wands in their hands from early loss of wickets / top order collapse for epic victories / atleast fight backs, rising from the dead phoenix-like, just when everyone had written their teams off. When we’ve them in the cricket pitches, it’s a special feeling.

Sports have a way of exaggerating life. It exaggerates emotions. It magnifies the void left by the departure of great personalities from its stage. Once they departed, the greater the player’s stage presence, the bigger the hole appears. Here, I am talking about the impact that records alone cannot achieve – however, extraordinary the figures may be. When I talk of Lara and Tendulkar, I recapture the sum total of memories, good and bad in nutshell. One is retired and another is going to retire soon. As a player, they are heroes, geniuses, angels of artistry, great winners. But as a captain, they are villains, over-rated, the devils with dark intent. The personality apart, their game is so unique that it seems impossible, in this day and age, can ever go to the top and capture our imagination. The most astonishing cricket talents of our times – perhaps of all times – they almost redefined the game. They were so extremely gifted and so thoroughly awesome with their presence, that they do not have to work at all to dominate the game that demands a net practice routine of other players.

For a batsman to be called great in terms of artistry, they require 3Ts. They are Technique, Temperament and Timing. If we look at the history, all great players always equally possess the sound technique in attacking as well as defending. Most of the times, they tend to play with the full face of the bat like Lara and Tendulkar rather than the edges like many others.

The art of good batsmanship is to have the head over the line of the ball to sniff the leather. A good player always looks to attack pace bowlers with drives but can combine the flamboyant square cuts with a sound defence when necessary. A good player is light on his feet particularly Lara like a ballet dancer. Nearly all the great batsmen have had good footwork and superb balance.

They are masters at angling the bat to enable push shots to beat the offside field effortlessly instead of bludgeoning. They followed the example of Sir Donald Bradman, the past master at it.

They are the masters of pull and hook shots but they used it only after they settled in the crease well. Beautifully balanced, they pick the line and length of the ball early enough to be able to put it where they like.

They play very straight most of the times. They hardly ever hits the ball in the air. They do not need to, because they can pierce the field effortlessly with their glittering array of strokes. Prime example is Lara batted more than 12 hours for his 375 in 1993 and did not hit a single six.

They are strong off both the front foot and back foot and their exquisite timing sends the ball sweeping to the boundary.

They are equally good against true fast bowling and spin. Both of them having solid and compact defence which is pre-requisite for a great batsmen in terms of artistry. They are able to drive on the up but the ball still goes over the ropes along the ground.

They are wonderful drivers, powerful cutters of the cricket ball besides they can also pull, sweep and play deft touch shorts as they wish at any point of time when they are at the crease with elan and ease.

In bouncy pitches like Australia and South Africa, rising to the toes to punch off the back foot or easing into an effortless off-drive, they are masters at their work.

They rock on their back foot and still they can drive the balls at their will and also play the shot to the balls that are well outside off-stump with full face of the blade. Most of the times, they are in full control with the strokes which many players failed to do so. For that they had plenty of techniques, temperament and timing. Both of them can play off their wrists at their will. Their indomitable style is unmatchable.

They are the players on their own way. They possessed all the above techniques, which is a hallmark of a great player in terms of artistry. Their records are superb, forget the statistics. When I watch someone like Lara or Sachin in flow, I tend to ignore the runs they have scored. It is the beauty of their stay at the crease that fascinates me and not the amount of runs they scored. That factor is for the captain to worry about, not the crowds who flow into the stadium to watch them for forgetting themselves. They are the players of such quality that they need no help from any coach. They pick their ones and twos easily besides their glorious strokes. They can pace their knock, close the shutters when required and frustrate the bowlers with their sound judgement. They can easily cope up with the pace and bounce superbly, which is not the case with many modern players. They carried their burden of their teams batting on their shoulders too early in their life.

Finally, it is clear that art in sport is much less in evidence from the last decade of the last century than the glorious 70s and 80s. A trend is evident too. And art is, after all, nature’s assistant. It is at once clear that there is much less scope than in the past for naturally gifted players to express themselves today because of the so called professionalism. When Lara is in form and striking the ball at will, he gives me the feeling he is taking everyone for a ride on a magic carpet. As a sports performer, Tendulkar is a rare work of nature, reveling in his amazing talent and letting us share in moments of pure enjoyment. They have mesmerized the audiences like me with their flair, grace, flamboyant groundstrokes.

Example One: Sachin’s gorgeous straight drive on the up, which is too tough to play against pace bowler like Lee. Watch the 42nd second of this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdBae8juAkg

Example Two: Lara’s majestic straight drive on the up. Watch the 89th second of this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OD0BSy9TeM

Look at the way, how easily both of them play straight with elegance.

Even though I called them apples, they are contrasting in their styles like green one and a red one. They made many of us to forget ourselves, which one can feel but cannot tell. I have tried my best to convey you about artistry cricket.

[/tscii:ae09f82c91]
Sourav,
Sorry for the dig. :P

[tamizharasan]

From Indian batsmen perspective no one has won more test matches for India than Shewag excluding Dravid.

[venkkiram]

Outplayed Sri Lanka fall short - from CricInfo

Before Sehwag, there was Dravid
It was Rahul Dravid who ensured India didn't repeat their Ahmedabad disaster from last year. At 32 for 4, against the swinging ball, India had looked set for an encore. As Dravid later said, this was the most fluent he had played, and the good form would continue through the series, getting him 433 runs at 108.25.

After Dravid, there was Sehwag
It's not just his 491 runs at 122.75. It's the amount of time Sehwag gave the bowlers to take 20 wickets, it's the demoralising effect he had on the opposition, it's the uplifting effect he had on his team-mates. Given how the bat dominated in the series, India needed all of that.

[Sourav]

Poll added!


Viru's test innings list:

http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/35263.html?class=1;orderby=batted_score;template=r esults;type=batting;view=innings



Poll options.

319 (304) v South Africa Chennai 26 Mar 2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/332911.html)

309 (375) v Pakistan Multan 28 Mar 2004 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64081.html)

293 (254) v Sri Lanka Mumbai (BS) 2 Dec 2009 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/430883.html)

254 (247) v Pakistan Lahore 13 Jan 2006 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/232615.html)

201*(231) v Sri Lanka Galle 31 Jul 2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/343730.html)

195 (233) v Australia Melbourne 26 Dec 2003 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64061.html)

180 (190) v West Indies Gros Islet 10 Jun 2006 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/239921.html)

155 (221) v Australia Chennai 14 Oct 2004 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64100.html)

151 (236) v Australia Adelaide 24 Jan 2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/291354.html)

83 (68) v England Chennai 11 Dec 2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/361050.html)

[Plum]

201* in Galle.

That was one match where the true greatness of Sehwag(especially to those who compare him with kaaduvetti dhoni and show pony yuvarasu) was displayed.

In a series in which Mendis was running rings around even the bigger stars in the Indian galaxy, and on a pitch where others folded and Laxman alone made a scratchy 50, this man scores a Double Century with absolute dominance.

That was teh day he reaffirmed once and for all that pitch conditions, match situations, quality of bowlers - these are not parameters at all.
For that sheer audacity, running the show on his terms in adverse conditions, this is the greatest performance in recent times in my opinion by an Indian, screw it, any cricketer.

For quite a few years now, including the period when he was outside the team, there has been a significant difference in test matches between when sehwag is in the crease, and when he is in the pavilion. One remembers the last day against Pakistan where one he got out, even the greats in Indian lineup played at less than 1 run rate and eventually collapsed. Scenario repeated against England in Mumbai. How many times we saw that?

That 201* summed up Virendra Sehwag for the atheists. Well, for a die hard Sachiner like me, it should be hard to accept Viru being called God. But I have seen enough to accept him as, atleast, a lesser God :-).

Nobody should even mention Yuvraj in the same sentence as Viru, solliputtaen

*Indha 'Viru'mandi veLiyErum bOdhu, edhirthu ninnu jeikkiravan yaaru!*

[Kalyasi]

201* in Galle.

That was one match where the true greatness of Sehwag(especially to those who compare him with kaaduvetti dhoni and show pony yuvarasu) was displayed.

In a series in which Mendis was running rings around even the bigger stars in the Indian galaxy, and on a pitch where others folded and Laxman alone made a scratchy 50, this man scores a Double Century with absolute dominance.

That was teh day he reaffirmed once and for all that pitch conditions, match situations, quality of bowlers - these are not parameters at all.
For that sheer audacity, running the show on his terms in adverse conditions, this is the greatest performance in recent times in my opinion by an Indian, screw it, any cricketer.

For quite a few years now, including the period when he was outside the team, there has been a significant difference in test matches between when sehwag is in the crease, and when he is in the pavilion. One remembers the last day against Pakistan where one he got out, even the greats in Indian lineup played at less than 1 run rate and eventually collapsed. Scenario repeated against England in Mumbai. How many times we saw that?

That 201* summed up Virendra Sehwag for the atheists. Well, for a die hard Sachiner like me, it should be hard to accept Viru being called God. But I have seen enough to accept him as, atleast, a lesser God :-).

Nobody should even mention Yuvraj in the same sentence as Viru, solliputtaen

*Indha 'Viru'mandi veLiyErum bOdhu, edhirthu ninnu jeikkiravan yaaru!*

:shock: Hayyayo Neengaluma!! Paravaillaye innoru vishayathula othu poitom!!

[venkkiram]

அடிலெய்டில் விரு எடுத்த 151 ரன்களை தேர்வு செய்திருக்கிறேன்.

இந்த ரன்களே இந்தியாவை பெருமையுடன் டிரா செய்ய உதவியது. இரண்டாவது இன்னிங்ஸில் விருவைத் தவிர மற்ற தலைகளால் எடுக்கப்பட்ட அதிக பட்ச ரன்களே 20 தான். எக்ஸ்ட்ரா 26 ரன்கள் இவர்களை விட அதிகம்.

மேலும், விரு இரு விக்கட்களை வேறு வீழ்த்தியிருந்தார்.

ஆல் ரவுண்டர் பங்களிப்பு என்றால் இந்த டெஸ்டில் விருவை மட்டுமே குறிப்பிட முடியும்.

மிகவும் ஏமாந்து போனது , விருவிற்கு கொடுக்காமல் ஆட்ட நாயகன் விருதை சச்சின் முதல் இன்னிங்ஸில் எடுத்த 153 ரன்களுக்காக கொடுத்தது.

விரு இருக்கும் இடத்தில் அன்று சச்சின் இருந்திருந்தால், அப்போதும் ஆட்ட நாயகன் விருது சச்சினுக்கே கிடைத்திருக்கும்.

க்ரிக்கட்டில் நடக்கும் அரசியலுக்கு அளவேயில்லை.

[tamizharasan]

Viru does not have success in one-day as much as he has in tests. His success in one day will increase our chances drastically to win world cup 2011.

[Movie Cop]

அடிலெய்டில் விரு எடுத்த 151 ரன்களை தேர்வு செய்திருக்கிறேன்.

இந்த ரன்களே இந்தியாவை பெருமையுடன் டிரா செய்ய உதவியது. இரண்டாவது இன்னிங்ஸில் விருவைத் தவிர மற்ற தலைகளால் எடுக்கப்பட்ட அதிக பட்ச ரன்களே 20 தான். எக்ஸ்ட்ரா 26 ரன்கள் இவர்களை விட அதிகம்.

மேலும், விரு இரு விக்கட்களை வேறு வீழ்த்தியிருந்தார்.

ஆல் ரவுண்டர் பங்களிப்பு என்றால் இந்த டெஸ்டில் விருவை மட்டுமே குறிப்பிட முடியும்.

மிகவும் ஏமாந்து போனது , விருவிற்கு கொடுக்காமல் ஆட்ட நாயகன் விருதை சச்சின் முதல் இன்னிங்ஸில் எடுத்த 153 ரன்களுக்காக கொடுத்தது.

விரு இருக்கும் இடத்தில் அன்று சச்சின் இருந்திருந்தால், அப்போதும் ஆட்ட நாயகன் விருது சச்சினுக்கே கிடைத்திருக்கும்.

க்ரிக்கட்டில் நடக்கும் அரசியலுக்கு அளவேயில்லை.
Agreed, Sevagan deserved MOM for Adelaide Test. But also remember Sachin held the Indian innings together during the first innings. If not for him, we would have easily fallen 150-200 runs short and would have to endure a much larger struggle in the second innings. But, well, MOM for that Test was a very tricky one to decide.

[Sourav]

Sehwag back in top 5 of Test rankings 8-)

1 877 G. Gambhir IND
2 836 D.P.M.D. Jayawardena SL
3 835 K.C. Sangakkara SL
4 814 M.J. Clarke AUS
5 804 V. Sehwag IND

[Sourav]

Greatness, In The Balance

HE THREATENS TO REWRITE COACHING MANUALS, AND HAS PUNDITS SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS. SURESH MENON ON WHAT MAKES VIRENDER SEHWAG THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE BATSMAN OF OUR TIME


VIRENDER SEHWAG’s batting is a reminder that there are no absolute standards in sport. “They told me in the dressing room that I was hitting good balls to the boundary,” he said after his neartriple century in the Mumbai Test, “but actually I was hitting only the bad balls.” The combination of innocence and ruthlessness, of self-doubt and self-awareness is unique. So is Sehwag, a player who puts so much pressure on the rules of batsmanship that they bend to his will. The standing reverse paddle he played in Mumbai had the twin virtues of inevitability and spontaneity. Once Sehwag had played it, the shot seemed the only right one; it was manufactured in his mind as he was playing it.

What kind of man is this innocent assassin who has elevated batting, and thinking, to a level of such simplicity? The story that captures him best has been told often enough, but it bears repetition here. England batsman Jeremy Snape pointed out in a match where they were batting together that he was having a problem with the reverse swing. Perhaps it was the ball that was aiding it? Don’t worry, Sehwag told him, I will hit this ball out of the stadium and then they will have to find another ball. And he proceeded to do exactly that. The replacement didn’t swing as much.

This was not arrogance so much as a desire to help out a colleague. It is entirely possible that if Snape didn’t have a problem, Sehwag might have merely pushed the ball for a single. Or not. After all, unpredictability is the cornerstone of his batting. As soon as the bowler thinks he has figured out Sehwag, he does something so unexpected that it is back to the drawing board again. Sehwag only needs to hear the sound the bat makes when it meets the ball to know he is on track. When he is going well it is a treat to the ears as well as to the eyes.

If his success is easily explained, so are his failures. He fails when his rhythm deserts him. And when that happens, he can look awful. Cricket is a game of inches. The bat face is only 4.25 inches at its widest part, which means that you need to miss a ball by only some two inches for an edge. From off stump to leg stump is only a matter of nine inches.

On most days none of this matters to Sehwag. He can move away from the line of the ball and swish at it, confident of two things – that he will hit it in the middle of the bat, and that he will hit it between fielders. On a bad day, the inches will begin to matter. By moving away from the line of the ball he allows it to come back into the stumps if he misses. Or rap him on the pads for a leg before.

YET, FOR all his innovative batting, Sehwag is capable of oldfashioned defence, bat and pad close together. It just happens that in his case, defence is the last resort. In cricket, big hitting and big egos go together. Vivian Richards saw his skill at pulverizing the bowling as a manifestation of the deeper anger provoked by his skin colour; Ian Botham wanted to ensure everyone realised he was king of the world. Sehwag carries no flag, he is no symbol, he stands for nothing beyond himself. The ball is there to be hit; all searches for deeper meanings are futile.

Great bowlers have one common attribute – a memory for dismissals and batsmen’s weaknesses. Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan remembers every wicket he took, and that’s nearly 800 of them in Test cricket alone. Great batsmen have this quality too. Sachin Tendulkar can reel off without a pause how he got out in any of his 162 Tests.

Sehwag has strolled into greatness from the opposite direction. He has the gift of forgetting. No mourning, no paralysis by analysis following a bad shot, or a bad innings. Sehwag is the poster boy of the here-and-now, living in the present, the past forgotten, the future not thought of. Another person might have been heart-broken after being dismissed for 293. Not Sehwag, who said he was happy he was the only batsman to make that score after two triple centuries. And in an aside that bowlers around the world will pretend not to have heard, he said there was still time for a third triple.

This worship at the altar of the present is seen in a Sehwag innings of any duration. With most batsmen it is possible to tell whether they are at the start of their innings or in the middle phase, or sometimes even if a dismissal is around the corner. Watching Sehwag it is impossible to tell whether he is batting on 25 or 250. There is the same serenity, the same inventive mindset. The same apparent air of boredom as he sets new challenges for himself. This is a disguise, of course, for no one with his record could have stumbled on it by accident. That would be an insult both to the man and to his sport.

“Don’t create new strokes,” Sachin Tendulkar once told him, “when you can so easily get runs playing the ones that already exist.”

Tendulkar was Sehwag’s hero, and continues to be. “He is the batsman I am most comfortable batting with,” Tendulkar once said, adding, “He can sense what the bowler is up to and gets ready quicker than others.” This readiness to pounce has a cat-like quality about it. The stillness is followed by minimum but decisive movement. Those who criticise his footwork fail to acknowledge his control over something more basic: balance.

Yet, for long Sehwag remained the outsider while the focus was on Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. Perhaps it was because ‘Fab Four’ is a convenient label, and there is an attraction to the allusion that is missing from, say, ‘Famous Five’. Perhaps it was because Sehwag is not as articulate, and appears even to someone like Geoff Boycott as a talented but brainless batsman. Perhaps there is a deeper reason, his Jat working-class background versus the middle-class Brahmin origin of the others.

SEHWAG HIMSELF is not given to analysis. He is a simple man with a simple objective — to score as many runs as quickly as possible. His strike-rate in Tests is 80.44; Ricky Ponting’s is 59, Brian Lara’s 60. Only Adam Gilchrist has an even more impressive 82. (But, Gilly's Avg is 47+. Viru's 52+). We don’t know what India’s legendary hitter and first captain CK Nayudu’s strike-rate was, or Vijay Hazare’s, so they tend to be judged on orthodoxy or stature in the teams they were a part of. You can’t break that down to figures, which is one reason modern players tend to appear more impressive than their predecessors.

Sehwag has been slotted alongside the girl in the nursery rhyme: when he is good he is very good; when he is bad he is horrid. This suggests an inconsistency that doesn’t sit well with those who inhabit pantheons. After his 254 in Lahore three years ago, Sehwag went 11 innings without a fifty. After his 180 in St Lucia, he had just one fifty in his next 12 innings, and after his 319 against South Africa in Chennai, he went six innings without a fifty.

There is an obviousness about Sehwag’s batting that upsets people who like complexity and mystery. However, to be simple is not to be simplistic; Sehwag makes it all look so easy that it is difficult to believe that he is the world’s most destructive batsman. So many runs without moving his feet?

The basic tenets of batsmanship involve bringing the bat down straight, getting the foot to the pitch of the ball, playing with bat and pad close together, head over the ball, driving with the elbow high, following through to complete the drive – it is a whole accordion of do’s and don’ts. Batsmen like Sehwag, and before him Sanath Jayasuriya, compressed that accordion to play a kind of music not heard from opening batsmen. Only one thing matters: balance.

There have been batsmen who followed their own rules. Garry Sobers wasn’t much of a one for footwork — his 254 for the World XI in Australia, which Don Bradman considered the finest innings played in that country, was remarkable for the scant regard for footwork for the most part. The argument then was that Sobers could get away with it because he was a genius.

INDIA’S OBSESSION with technique is probably a reflection of the English attitude. Yet this ought not to be. Just as the English spoken by Indians is more colourful and original, the cricket played by them is also unique. Sehwag brings to the game the hearty disregard for its Englishness that featured in the batting of players such as Mushtaq Ali (India’s first Test centurion abroad) and to a lesser extent Krishnamachari Srikkanth, while focusing on fewer “must-dos”.

Sehwag modelled himself on Tendulkar, and there was a phase at the turn of the millennium when it was difficult to tell them apart when they were batting together. Perhaps he put on weight only to help the spectators identify him more easily.

When in 2001 Sehwag made his entry with a century on Test debut in Bloemfontein, he batted at No. 6. It wasn’t until four series later that he opened — at Lord’s, where he made the top score of 84. He made a century in the next match en route to making five of his first six centuries in five different countries and on the first day of the match.

Sehwag’s final steps to the pantheon of Indian greats have been climbed with an insouciance those inside never mustered. After 30 (Sehwag turned 31 this year), Gavaskar’s average dropped to 48, Tendulkar’s to 46. And yet, there is bound to be increasingly greater focus on him as the Tendulkars and Dravids retire. In a sense, Tendulkar has been a father figure, older only by five years but senior to Sehwag by 12. The presence of the greats in the middle order has meant that Sehwag has been allowed a certain amount of irresponsibility – rather like a pregnant woman — at the top of the order. The batsman has always had the luxury of a cushion behind him.

The final colours of his career will be painted when he is expected to provide the ballast to the batting, when he becomes both the man leading the charge as well as the lone Horatio on a crumbling bridge. Tendulkar switched roles with elan although not everyone understood his transformation from a carefree youngster to a careworn adult. It will be interesting to see how Sehwag handles the change, how heavily he allows the mantle of responsibility to rest on him.

But that is some years into the future, and already Sehwag has been at the fountainhead of change in the approach to batting. He is the post-modern opener, comfortable in all three formats of the game. In the 1980s when Barry Richards observed that batting technique was changing, he was met with howls of protest from the traditionalists, who said that technique could never change; the accordion must remain. Yet if Sehwag can stand still and deliver in the manner he does, thus conserving energy and time, why would his style not replace the coaching manual? The two ways of batting, traditionalists aver, are the right way and the wrong way. The former is a system written in stone while the latter is anything that breaks those rules.

The modern batsman feels the two ways of batting are the effective (or productive) way and the ineffective way. Fitness levels have improved; the perfect coverdrive is often easily stopped. Yet if the fielding captain is uncertain whether the batsman will drive to cover or point, or even midwicket, nothing is easily stopped. In fact, the essence of modern batting has to be its unpredictability. Bowlers can keep a technician quiet for long because he is predictable. Similar questions provoke identical responses, and the accordion, far from providing a range of sounds can get stuck playing the same notes over and over again. Sehwag has freed batting from the need to play the same tune.

And yet, one must examine the Boycott charge. Can a batsman with Sehwag’s record be called unintelligent? Other players too have suggested the same but less crudely. This is a sporting paradox. Great sportsmen often display a specific intelligence that is different from the common understanding of the word. The mind of a Pele might work in a way that perhaps that of a Mozart or an Einstein did, enabling him to do on a football field what no merely good footballer could do or even understand or predict. That did not also mean that he was a genius of the stock market or always wore matching socks.

It is Sehwag’s cricket intelligence that is remarkable, not his historic sense (he said after coming within three runs of equaling Vinoo Mankad’s world record as an opener with Pankaj Roy that he had heard of neither player) or his syntax. The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes often said that he did not fill his head with the kind of useless information that could be looked up in books, but made sure that he knew more about catching criminals than anybody else.

Sehwag can make a similar claim. He may not know who Mankad was, but he knows how to hurt the spectator in the second row behind extra cover or hit between fielders with monotonous regularity. He may not be able to break down his batting into its component parts, but he breaks down the spirit of the bowler with rare consistency.

HIS ROLE in the rise of India to the No. 1 spot in Test cricket has been fundamental. In the last 25 Tests (eight series), he has scored more runs than anybody else (2,093 in 20 Tests) as India beat Pakistan, drew against South Africa, beat Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka (they lost in Australia and Sri Lanka).

He has led India, been dropped from the team only to return and continue batting as before. His pace of scoring has usually given India enough time to bowl out the opposition. Against England in Chennai last year, his 83 off 68 balls set up an unlikely victory. In Melbourne he once made 195 in a day’s play and was caught on the fence. Not surprising, for this was the player who brought up his first triple century with a six – after all, the odds on getting caught remain the same whether you are on 195 or 295! This is a batsman of both courage and inspiration.

The pace also means that he is the one current player with the credentials to overhaul Brian Lara’s world record score of 400. That is, if he doesn’t do something unexpected at 395. Figures are for supermodels after all, not for opening batsmen with an attacking instinct unmatched in the modern game.

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main43.asp?filename=Ne191209coverstory.asp
[tscii:7bea4b235b][/tscii:7bea4b235b]

[tamizharasan]

Greatness, In The Balance

HE THREATENS TO REWRITE COACHING MANUALS, AND HAS PUNDITS SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS. SURESH MENON ON WHAT MAKES VIRENDER SEHWAG THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE BATSMAN OF OUR TIME


VIRENDER SEHWAG’s batting is a reminder that there are no absolute standards in sport. “They told me in the dressing room that I was hitting good balls to the boundary,” he said after his neartriple century in the Mumbai Test, “but actually I was hitting only the bad balls.” The combination of innocence and ruthlessness, of self-doubt and self-awareness is unique. So is Sehwag, a player who puts so much pressure on the rules of batsmanship that they bend to his will. The standing reverse paddle he played in Mumbai had the twin virtues of inevitability and spontaneity. Once Sehwag had played it, the shot seemed the only right one; it was manufactured in his mind as he was playing it.

What kind of man is this innocent assassin who has elevated batting, and thinking, to a level of such simplicity? The story that captures him best has been told often enough, but it bears repetition here. England batsman Jeremy Snape pointed out in a match where they were batting together that he was having a problem with the reverse swing. Perhaps it was the ball that was aiding it? Don’t worry, Sehwag told him, I will hit this ball out of the stadium and then they will have to find another ball. And he proceeded to do exactly that. The replacement didn’t swing as much.

This was not arrogance so much as a desire to help out a colleague. It is entirely possible that if Snape didn’t have a problem, Sehwag might have merely pushed the ball for a single. Or not. After all, unpredictability is the cornerstone of his batting. As soon as the bowler thinks he has figured out Sehwag, he does something so unexpected that it is back to the drawing board again. Sehwag only needs to hear the sound the bat makes when it meets the ball to know he is on track. When he is going well it is a treat to the ears as well as to the eyes.

If his success is easily explained, so are his failures. He fails when his rhythm deserts him. And when that happens, he can look awful. Cricket is a game of inches. The bat face is only 4.25 inches at its widest part, which means that you need to miss a ball by only some two inches for an edge. From off stump to leg stump is only a matter of nine inches.

On most days none of this matters to Sehwag. He can move away from the line of the ball and swish at it, confident of two things – that he will hit it in the middle of the bat, and that he will hit it between fielders. On a bad day, the inches will begin to matter. By moving away from the line of the ball he allows it to come back into the stumps if he misses. Or rap him on the pads for a leg before.

YET, FOR all his innovative batting, Sehwag is capable of oldfashioned defence, bat and pad close together. It just happens that in his case, defence is the last resort. In cricket, big hitting and big egos go together. Vivian Richards saw his skill at pulverizing the bowling as a manifestation of the deeper anger provoked by his skin colour; Ian Botham wanted to ensure everyone realised he was king of the world. Sehwag carries no flag, he is no symbol, he stands for nothing beyond himself. The ball is there to be hit; all searches for deeper meanings are futile.

Great bowlers have one common attribute – a memory for dismissals and batsmen’s weaknesses. Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan remembers every wicket he took, and that’s nearly 800 of them in Test cricket alone. Great batsmen have this quality too. Sachin Tendulkar can reel off without a pause how he got out in any of his 162 Tests.

Sehwag has strolled into greatness from the opposite direction. He has the gift of forgetting. No mourning, no paralysis by analysis following a bad shot, or a bad innings. Sehwag is the poster boy of the here-and-now, living in the present, the past forgotten, the future not thought of. Another person might have been heart-broken after being dismissed for 293. Not Sehwag, who said he was happy he was the only batsman to make that score after two triple centuries. And in an aside that bowlers around the world will pretend not to have heard, he said there was still time for a third triple.

This worship at the altar of the present is seen in a Sehwag innings of any duration. With most batsmen it is possible to tell whether they are at the start of their innings or in the middle phase, or sometimes even if a dismissal is around the corner. Watching Sehwag it is impossible to tell whether he is batting on 25 or 250. There is the same serenity, the same inventive mindset. The same apparent air of boredom as he sets new challenges for himself. This is a disguise, of course, for no one with his record could have stumbled on it by accident. That would be an insult both to the man and to his sport.

“Don’t create new strokes,” Sachin Tendulkar once told him, “when you can so easily get runs playing the ones that already exist.”

Tendulkar was Sehwag’s hero, and continues to be. “He is the batsman I am most comfortable batting with,” Tendulkar once said, adding, “He can sense what the bowler is up to and gets ready quicker than others.” This readiness to pounce has a cat-like quality about it. The stillness is followed by minimum but decisive movement. Those who criticise his footwork fail to acknowledge his control over something more basic: balance.

Yet, for long Sehwag remained the outsider while the focus was on Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. Perhaps it was because ‘Fab Four’ is a convenient label, and there is an attraction to the allusion that is missing from, say, ‘Famous Five’. Perhaps it was because Sehwag is not as articulate, and appears even to someone like Geoff Boycott as a talented but brainless batsman. Perhaps there is a deeper reason, his Jat working-class background versus the middle-class Brahmin origin of the others.

SEHWAG HIMSELF is not given to analysis. He is a simple man with a simple objective — to score as many runs as quickly as possible. His strike-rate in Tests is 80.44; Ricky Ponting’s is 59, Brian Lara’s 60. Only Adam Gilchrist has an even more impressive 82. (But, Gilly's Avg is 47+. Viru's 52+). We don’t know what India’s legendary hitter and first captain CK Nayudu’s strike-rate was, or Vijay Hazare’s, so they tend to be judged on orthodoxy or stature in the teams they were a part of. You can’t break that down to figures, which is one reason modern players tend to appear more impressive than their predecessors.

Sehwag has been slotted alongside the girl in the nursery rhyme: when he is good he is very good; when he is bad he is horrid. This suggests an inconsistency that doesn’t sit well with those who inhabit pantheons. After his 254 in Lahore three years ago, Sehwag went 11 innings without a fifty. After his 180 in St Lucia, he had just one fifty in his next 12 innings, and after his 319 against South Africa in Chennai, he went six innings without a fifty.

There is an obviousness about Sehwag’s batting that upsets people who like complexity and mystery. However, to be simple is not to be simplistic; Sehwag makes it all look so easy that it is difficult to believe that he is the world’s most destructive batsman. So many runs without moving his feet?

The basic tenets of batsmanship involve bringing the bat down straight, getting the foot to the pitch of the ball, playing with bat and pad close together, head over the ball, driving with the elbow high, following through to complete the drive – it is a whole accordion of do’s and don’ts. Batsmen like Sehwag, and before him Sanath Jayasuriya, compressed that accordion to play a kind of music not heard from opening batsmen. Only one thing matters: balance.

There have been batsmen who followed their own rules. Garry Sobers wasn’t much of a one for footwork — his 254 for the World XI in Australia, which Don Bradman considered the finest innings played in that country, was remarkable for the scant regard for footwork for the most part. The argument then was that Sobers could get away with it because he was a genius.

INDIA’S OBSESSION with technique is probably a reflection of the English attitude. Yet this ought not to be. Just as the English spoken by Indians is more colourful and original, the cricket played by them is also unique. Sehwag brings to the game the hearty disregard for its Englishness that featured in the batting of players such as Mushtaq Ali (India’s first Test centurion abroad) and to a lesser extent Krishnamachari Srikkanth, while focusing on fewer “must-dos”.

Sehwag modelled himself on Tendulkar, and there was a phase at the turn of the millennium when it was difficult to tell them apart when they were batting together. Perhaps he put on weight only to help the spectators identify him more easily.

When in 2001 Sehwag made his entry with a century on Test debut in Bloemfontein, he batted at No. 6. It wasn’t until four series later that he opened — at Lord’s, where he made the top score of 84. He made a century in the next match en route to making five of his first six centuries in five different countries and on the first day of the match.

Sehwag’s final steps to the pantheon of Indian greats have been climbed with an insouciance those inside never mustered. After 30 (Sehwag turned 31 this year), Gavaskar’s average dropped to 48, Tendulkar’s to 46. And yet, there is bound to be increasingly greater focus on him as the Tendulkars and Dravids retire. In a sense, Tendulkar has been a father figure, older only by five years but senior to Sehwag by 12. The presence of the greats in the middle order has meant that Sehwag has been allowed a certain amount of irresponsibility – rather like a pregnant woman — at the top of the order. The batsman has always had the luxury of a cushion behind him.

The final colours of his career will be painted when he is expected to provide the ballast to the batting, when he becomes both the man leading the charge as well as the lone Horatio on a crumbling bridge. Tendulkar switched roles with elan although not everyone understood his transformation from a carefree youngster to a careworn adult. It will be interesting to see how Sehwag handles the change, how heavily he allows the mantle of responsibility to rest on him.

But that is some years into the future, and already Sehwag has been at the fountainhead of change in the approach to batting. He is the post-modern opener, comfortable in all three formats of the game. In the 1980s when Barry Richards observed that batting technique was changing, he was met with howls of protest from the traditionalists, who said that technique could never change; the accordion must remain. Yet if Sehwag can stand still and deliver in the manner he does, thus conserving energy and time, why would his style not replace the coaching manual? The two ways of batting, traditionalists aver, are the right way and the wrong way. The former is a system written in stone while the latter is anything that breaks those rules.

The modern batsman feels the two ways of batting are the effective (or productive) way and the ineffective way. Fitness levels have improved; the perfect coverdrive is often easily stopped. Yet if the fielding captain is uncertain whether the batsman will drive to cover or point, or even midwicket, nothing is easily stopped. In fact, the essence of modern batting has to be its unpredictability. Bowlers can keep a technician quiet for long because he is predictable. Similar questions provoke identical responses, and the accordion, far from providing a range of sounds can get stuck playing the same notes over and over again. Sehwag has freed batting from the need to play the same tune.

And yet, one must examine the Boycott charge. Can a batsman with Sehwag’s record be called unintelligent? Other players too have suggested the same but less crudely. This is a sporting paradox. Great sportsmen often display a specific intelligence that is different from the common understanding of the word. The mind of a Pele might work in a way that perhaps that of a Mozart or an Einstein did, enabling him to do on a football field what no merely good footballer could do or even understand or predict. That did not also mean that he was a genius of the stock market or always wore matching socks.

It is Sehwag’s cricket intelligence that is remarkable, not his historic sense (he said after coming within three runs of equaling Vinoo Mankad’s world record as an opener with Pankaj Roy that he had heard of neither player) or his syntax. The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes often said that he did not fill his head with the kind of useless information that could be looked up in books, but made sure that he knew more about catching criminals than anybody else.

Sehwag can make a similar claim. He may not know who Mankad was, but he knows how to hurt the spectator in the second row behind extra cover or hit between fielders with monotonous regularity. He may not be able to break down his batting into its component parts, but he breaks down the spirit of the bowler with rare consistency.

HIS ROLE in the rise of India to the No. 1 spot in Test cricket has been fundamental. In the last 25 Tests (eight series), he has scored more runs than anybody else (2,093 in 20 Tests) as India beat Pakistan, drew against South Africa, beat Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka (they lost in Australia and Sri Lanka).

He has led India, been dropped from the team only to return and continue batting as before. His pace of scoring has usually given India enough time to bowl out the opposition. Against England in Chennai last year, his 83 off 68 balls set up an unlikely victory. In Melbourne he once made 195 in a day’s play and was caught on the fence. Not surprising, for this was the player who brought up his first triple century with a six – after all, the odds on getting caught remain the same whether you are on 195 or 295! This is a batsman of both courage and inspiration.

The pace also means that he is the one current player with the credentials to overhaul Brian Lara’s world record score of 400. That is, if he doesn’t do something unexpected at 395. Figures are for supermodels after all, not for opening batsmen with an attacking instinct unmatched in the modern game.

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main43.asp?filename=Ne191209coverstory.asp
[tscii:f467b9e7ff][/tscii:f467b9e7ff]

Excellent article. :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Sourav]

Mathews to Sehwag, FOUR!! What an innings! Full toss outside off, Sehwag goes for the drive, gets a thick edge before it races down to third man as he brings up his 12th ODI CENTURY!! Brilliant! A thoroughly entertaining knock!

:happydance: :boo: :cheer:
:happydance: :boo: :cheer:
:happydance: :boo: :cheer:
:happydance: :boo: :cheer:
:happydance: :boo: :cheer:

[Sourav]

Virender Sehwag c Tillakaratne Dilshan b Chanaka Welegedara
146 runs
102 balls
17 4s
6 6s
143 s/r
:bow: :bow: :bow:

When Viru sings, Bowlers dance!
intha siggy pottathululernuthu nalla aaduraan! :noteeth: matthave porathulla!
thanks 2 LM 4 suggesting this siggy! :P

[Dinesh84]

illana 200 adichiruppan :oops:

[Sourav]

illana 200 adichiruppan :oops:neenga siggy-la podunga, adikkirananu paapom... :twisted: :devil:

hope he wil break that 194* record soon! :D remmmbha naal wish athu! he can do it! 40 overs ninnalae pothum 200 guarantee! intha series-laye adicha kooda ok than... :noteeth:

[Appu s]

shewag ennikku 40 overs ninnirukkan :lol2:

[Sourav]

shewag ennikku 40 overs ninnirukkan :lol2: athan, 40 overs ninnutale 200 adichiruvaan,... :cry3: koodiya seekiram nadakum.... :P

[Sourav]

Bradman to Sehwag : Redefining Great Batsmanship by Defying Tradition (Part 1)


Swaranjeet Singh | 6:40pm gmt 13 Dec 2009
Bradman to Sehwag : Redefining Great Batsmanship by Defying Tradition (Part 1)"After being warned for years as to the dangers of playing back on a fast wicket and especially to fast bowling; it came as rather a surprise to see the great Indian batsman transgressing against a principal so firmly fixed in one's mind." - Jessop talking of Ranji

"Find out where the ball is. Go there. Hit it."- Ranji's three precepts of batsmanship

"There was nothing ferocious or brutal about Spooner's batting, it was all courtesy and breeding." - Neville Cardus (legendary writer and a hardcore traditionalist) on R.H. Spooner

And then came Bradman. . .

At the outset let me clarify two things. Firstly, I am not putting Sehwag is in the same bracket as Sir Donald and secondly, I am not moved by the pyrotechnics of Sehwag's astonishing 293 last week to write this piece. I have been wanting to write about the phenomenon that is Virender Sehwag and this last innings only nudged me to finally put my thoughts into words. Sehwag's knock was amazing in its ferocity and a stunner particularly when the realization sunk in that he was on the verge of an unprecedented third triple and may well be on course to a quadruple hundred. Having said that, the most beautiful part of India's two hundred run opening partnership, for me at least, was the batting of young Murali Vijay. It was unfortunate that an uncharacteristic sweep brought to an ugly end an innings of rare beauty. One hopes we do not have to wait for another wedding in the Gambhir (or Sehwag) household before we see this talented youngster again. His time is now.

But we digress. This is about Sehwag and his batting and most of all it is about what he does to the likes of yours truly, the much-derided traditionalists. He irks us. He turns our long held beliefs on their heads, which makes us very uncomfortable. Eighty years ago an Australian had the same effect on traditionalists and that young man, from the then unknown village of Bowral, provides us the context for understanding Sehwag's apparent defiance of what we euphemistically call conventional wisdom or tradition.

Traditionalists are very possessive of their turf. Not because they make the laws of the game or coach future generations of cricketers but because they see themselves to be performing a more vital public service. They are the self appointed evaluators of cricketing acumen. They sift the wheat from the chaff, the mediocre from the good and the great. They are the custodians of cricketing greatness. They decide what, besides mere statistics, constitutes a great cricketer. They evaluate using criteria varying from purity of technique or rather degree of deviation from the orthodox to the more subjective criteria of aesthetics and attitudes.

Traditionalists have convinced us that purity of technique (more or less settled since around the end of the Golden Age), solidity in defense, perfection in stroke play, correctness of footwork, body positioning etc. were pre-requisite criteria for entering the hallowed halls of the truly great. Add to that the firm conviction that Test cricket was serious business, which required playing each ball on merit, according to match situation and pitch conditions thereby confining the limits for batsmanship by what the bowler, wicket and/or the situation preordained. In other words good batsmanship required respect for your adversary, be it ball, bowler or conditions. Finally there was aesthetics. The fluidity of stroke play of a batsman steeped in the grammar of cricket lent grace, elegance and beauty to the game. The ball in cricket is not hit - it is stroked. Hence the Woolleys, Ranjis and Trumpers personified all that was aesthetically pleasing in batsmanship and essential to be canonized as a great.

Then came the Ashes series of 1928-29 and the 20 year old Donald Bradman. He had a modest start in Tests and did drinks duty in the second Test but came back strongly enough to average 67 per innings in the four Tests he played. Overall against the visiting Englishmen, he scored 925 first class runs that season at 84 per innings. It was a great start by a young man in his first International series but it did not impress the English critics. England had dominated the series, winning 4-1 albeit with consistently diminishing returns. England's own young prodigy overshadowed Bradman's figures. Hammond, batting in classical style had scored an unprecedented 904 runs in his very first Ashes series was the brightest star on cricket?s firmament not this "most curious mixture of good and bad batting" as Percy Fender that keenest students of the game called him in his coverage of the tour. Fender was scathing in his criticism. "If practice, experience, and hard work enable him to eradicate the faults and still retain the rest of his ability, he may well become a very great player; and if he does this he will be in the category of the brilliant, if unsound, ones. Promise there is in Bradman. . though watching him does not inspire one with any confidence . . . he makes a mistake, then makes it again and again; he does not correct it or look as if he is trying to do so. He seems to live for the exuberance of the moment. . ." Unbelievable.

No, the traditionalists were not impressed with Bradman.

They found everything wrong with him. His right hand was too dominant, his backlift wasn't straight, he pulled far too much and, horror of horrors, he pulled even from outside the off stump. He had hardly any defense. No. This wouldn't do, not against good bowling in seaming and swinging conditions. He would be exposed. They would see him in two years time at home.

The boy wonder, as the 22 year old was called then, kept his appointment and came to England in April 1930 and while the English media was busy writing his epitaph, he scored 236 against Worcestershire in the tour opener. Exactly one month and just seven completed innings later he was at Southampton on the 31st of May, 46 runs short of 1000 runs. Australia lost the toss, Hampshire batted first, were bowled out by mid day and Bradman requested Woodfull to allow him to open the batting to try and reach his milestone. By the time he was finished he was just 9 short of yet another double century.

By the end of the tour he had crossed the two hundred mark six times and the three hundred mark once. His 3000 runs had come at 98.7 per innings. In the Test matches he had innings of 131 in the first Test, 254 in the second, 334 in the third and 232 in the fifth. He came close to scoring a thousand runs in this his first complete Test series. A record that still stands after eight decades.

The traditionalists who had been scandalized by his obscene disregard for convention were now stunned into disbelief. Wonder what Mr Fender was thinking.

The orthodox in England just could not swallow the fact that Bradman had turned all they had thought they knew about batsmanship on its head. They waited for him to falter and were still waiting twenty years later when he finally called it a day. Those who could not reconcile themselves to his phenomenal success continued to deride him obliquely for not being the batsman on sticky wickets that Hobbs was and this was true. However, what was also true, and what the sharp brain of Bradman realised early, was that he wasn't likely to face a sticky wicket often enough to change what was otherwise a devastatingly effective batting style. It wasn't pretty but the scorebook has no columns to record beauty of stroke play. Of what it does record, he scored by the thousands and at a staggering pace.

The fact of the matter is that Bradman's batting wasn't radically unorthodox. In fact his Art of Cricket remains, to this day, one of the finest cricket coaching books ever. With exemplary footwork, fantastically early judgment of line and length and exceptional hand eye co-ordination he demonstrated batting the like of which had never been seen before. But he wasn't orthodox as in orthodox with bold capitals. Yes he had a very dominant right hand grip, which showed even when he drove but he made up it. He hit the ball harder since his grip curtailed his swing particularly in the follow through. He played the ball late as he drove to keep it unerringly on the carpet. His fantastic early judgment and great footwork meant he drove almost everything he could reach from the crease or by jumping out which he did often to lesser pace because of his amazing early judgment of length and great footwork. And yes he pulled almost everything he couldn?t drive but he did it again by fantastic early judgment of line and length and by moving fully back and across - quickly and decisively. Of course, he did not defend much but not because he couldn't but because he didn't have to.

And finally, while he appeared to be treating the bowling with utter contempt, this was really an illusion. Bradman never showed anything but the highest professional regard and respect for his peers on the field. Yes his lack of respect for line and length appeared to extend to the reputations of the bowlers that faced him. However, his apparent arrogance is better understood as the supreme self-confidence of an athlete of rare ability cwho was also blessed with uncommon physical and mental faculties.

The traditionalists in England refused to understand the Bradman phenomenon but today when Bradman and all his critics are gone, no one talks of his unorthodox grip or his lack of respect for line or lineage. All that remains is the unanimous consensus that he was far and above the greatest batsman that ever was.

Bradman's example did not lead to a revolution in the sense that the world has yet to see another like him. But that's not surprising. Too many attributes of natural talent, finely honed skills, mental and physical strength were combined in this supreme athlete and it will take nature much longer than just eight decades to duplicate the mould. Nevertheless, the fact that Bradman was a one off phenomenon meant that we continued to define great batsmanship in classical terms.

Some things, however, did change with Bradman.

The world understood, over time, that while changing conditions may not alter the fundamentals of the game, the basics could be adopted and harnessed by talented individuals to obtain the best results under varying conditions. As conditions continue to change over time and vary greatly from one country to another cricketers need to be adaptive enough to add to the vocabulary of batsmanship even while remaining largely true to its basic grammar.

Test batsmen have always played percentage cricket, selecting shots that were least likely to bring about their demise. They still do that but the percentages are not always the same. With increasingly batsman friendly conditions the risks and risk-assessment by batsmen has changed. On the hard true surfaces of West Indies, batsmen started playing a brand of cricket that made the Caribbean and entertainment synonyms. The dead sub-continental wickets made for wristy stroke play that is uniquely South Asian. The Australians, batting mostly on truer though still somewhat sporting wicket, played with great all-round aggression. Those from England continued to fall between the two stools of traditional orthodoxy and the aggression that seemed to be lacking only amongst them of all the major cricketing nations.

In our hall of greats, where we had reluctantly allowed Bradman to join Grace, Trumper, Ranji, Hobbs and Hammond, we continued to restrict membership to those who fitted our rigidly orthodox criteria. Thus the Huttons, Worrells, Soberses, Chappells, Gavaskars and Pollocks received wide acceptance with batting built around a basically orthodox technique. But the batsmen, barring the openers showed increasing belligerence at the crease. Barry Richards made the first crack in that mould too. Overall, however, Test batsmen continued to respect the line of the ball and the lineage of the bowler.

Vivian Richards in the 1980's and Sachin Tendulkar in the 1990's changed that to remind the world of what Bradman had once done. Like him, these masters remained, at their core, technically close to the basics. Their feet moved close to the ball, their heads remained still and the bodies perfectly balanced and above all their stroke play, despite the latent and surface aggression, remained a thing of beauty. Where they followed Bradman's example was in realising that the percentage had been redefined beyond mere covering of the wickets and the risks for more aggressive stroke play were minimal. Most importantly, they were Bradman like in their irreverence of the opposition. Tendulkar (at his peak) and Richards showed no respect for reputations and their attitudes, even more than their batting styles, made a mockery of the most defensive field placements put in place to curb their stroke play.

They are universally accepted and celebrated as modern day greats. We were willing to condone hitting the ball from outside the off stump to midwicket and stepping back to cut from the leg stump past point. To that extent we had already redefined great Test batsmanship for good but were not prepared to grant more concessions to unorthodoxy.

And then came Virender Sehwag. . .

Bradman to Sehwag : Redefining Great Batsmanship by Defying Tradition (Part 2)


Swaranjeet Singh | 9:07pm gmt 14 Dec 2009
Bradman to Sehwag : Redefining Great Batsmanship by Defying Tradition (Part 2)"The great thing in hitting is not to be half-hearted about it. But when you make your mind to hit, to do it as if the whole match depended upon that particular stroke." - WG Grace

" Innovations invariably are suspect and in no quarter more so than the cricket world." - Gilbert Jessop

"There is nothing I detest more than the way in which elder men have said their young days had the best. Cricket is constantly in flux " - Sir Home Gordon (1939)

And then came Sehwag . . .

Virender Sehwag wasn't always the psychotic murderous batsman that we know him to be today. This fact is often forgotten but is important to understand how he has evolved and grown as a Test batsman. Have a look at his strike rate as he achieved each milestone in his aggregate Test runs.

- First 1000 runs at 62/100 balls
- First 2000 runs at 73/100 balls
- Next 2000 runs at 87/100 balls
- Last 2000 runs at 97/100 balls

Those last two figures are mind boggling and one is not even sure he is done yet.

This isnt all. His hundreds are getting bigger and he is compiling them faster. The man has continued to improve both his aggressive stroke play and his staying power and that's a scary thought for bowlers for the future.

- First four centuries at 62/100 balls and an average of 122 per innings
- Next six at 73/100 and 200/innings
- Next seven at 97/100 and 255/innings

Now what do these figures tell us? First of all, it completely negates the suggestion that this kind of batting cant be sustained. Second, we still do not know whether this man has peaked or is their another level to reach. Third, we need to immediately stop talking of incredible luck, bashing of minnows and batting tracks to explain his phenomenal success. Lucky streaks do not last for ten years and 77 Tests (or multiple triple hundreds for that matter), the minnows theory isn't borne out by facts and the batting tracks are common to all batsmen. If we are going to justify our dislike for Virender Sehwag lets at least be smart with our 'logic'.

Sehwag started off as the poor man's Tendulkar. The height and built were the same and the strokes appeared to be styled after his senior. Since then, he has developed a style distinctly his own and one hardly ever confuses the two together at the crease. Sehwag's journey from potentially good to probably great has coincided with the development of his unique style. This style and his attitude to batting is a combination that irks the traditionalists. When he was copying Sachin one did not hear much talk of his technical deficiencies. The murmurs started and became screams as his style evolved, the hundreds became bigger and the batting more belligerent

So why didn't the traditionalists like Virender Sehwag's batting?

To start with Sehwag appears to follow none of cricket's grammar although I suspect his greater transgression was the flouting of established cricketing norms as Bradman had done. Half the cricketing world seemed to believe that Sehwag had no technique and the other half that any technique he had was flawed. Everyone waited for him to fail and fall at the next hurdle - in the longer version of the game, on wickets away from home, on Australian tracks, on English and South African conditions, against the world's wiliest spinners and then against the fastest bowlers. It never happened. He just kept on going from strength to strength.

Bowlers, who from smiling wryly had turned to gaping in unbridled admiration as stroke followed devastating stroke, continued to think they were going to get him since this couldn't possibly last. His captains, team mates and countrymen fluctuated endlessly between sheer ecstasy and absolute horror as he played with the arrogant confidence of a Richards one day and the unthinking mindlessness of an Afridi the next. We were amazed at his unbelievable luck as drive after uppish drive went just out of reach of diving fields men with Sehwag standing unmoving at the crease as the ball crashed into the hoarding.

Hundreds of millions of India's doting fans and the arm chair critics of from its burgeoning electronic media refused to deify him as they had done Sachin before and Dhoni after. He was never considered infallible enough to be treated like another of their cricketing God.

"Luck favours the brave", they condescendingly told themselves when he kept hitting the ball uppishly through the off side cordon. "He must be disciplined?", they screamed when he threw away his wicket in a mindless slog. "He must be allowed to play his natural game. That's what's best for his team" they opined as he demolished the attack in the very next game.

We continued to judge his failures with our fixed notions of what constitutes good batting and his success with a condescension that follows from the same set of beliefs. We were too conditioned by the so-called conventional wisdom. It never ever struck us that maybe we need to look anew at our criteria. Maybe we are wrong. The near triple century at Mumbai made me sit up and wonder.

I decided to give Sehwag and his batting technique another hard and long look. This is what I saw.

He comes into bat, stands in a comfortable near orthodox stance that would satisfy the most traditional coaches. The grip is almost orthodox unlike Sachin's or Bradman's and his backlift is between first and second slip - so far so good.

The bowler comes in and bowls a good length ball, outside the off stump. Sehwag, barely moves his left foot and drives the ball like a tracer bullet to the fence. But guess what? The ball has not sliced off the face of the bat and gone towards point or behind it. It has gone like an arrow to covers. This is not what you expected when the batsman plays so far away from his body without moving his feet thereby opening the face of the bat. But is his body, and more importantly his head, really in such a terrible position? Watch the replay again. Its true the feet haven't moved but it does not look as if he is playing that far from his body.

Sehwag, even when he does not move his feet, often tends to move/bend his torso towards the ball, his head, almost never in the air, is low, rock steady and actually not that far from being over the point of contact. He leans well forward from the waist so that his head is far beyond the line of his left foot and although not exactly over the ball he isn't too far. The transfer of his body weight even on almost unmoving feet makes it easier for him to hit the ball cleanly, and more importantly, in the direction he wanted. His balance is always impeccable.

Of course he will not always hit the middle of the bat but that's true even of the most orthodox. Its not as if he is happily edging away tempting fate. Far from it. He will hit the ball cleanly to cover and extra cover or turn the face of the bat quite deliberately to hit past point or behind it. Sehwag must be one of the most prolific hitter of boundaries in the cover region in contemporary cricket. This flies thick in the face of the common belief that deviation from the orthodox, and lack of movement of that leading foot, first and foremost affects your ability to drive cleanly and consistently to covers.

He does hit in the air at times but that's because he repeatedly drives, on the rise, balls that are nowhere close to being half volleys. He drives even slightly short of length deliveries off the front foot. These are bound to travel in the air for some distance. The fact remains that he isn't caught too often in that region. He must be doing something right. His method is effective.

Now the bowler comes in to bowl the second ball. Having been driven off the front foot to covers, he compensates and bowls short outside the off stump again. Sehwag transfers the weight on to the back foot and hits another tracer past point. If this ball had been rising above waist high he would have coolly hit it exactly in the same direction but over the head of the deep field high into the stands.

The bowler pitches the third ball on the middle and off stump coming slightly in and he stays on the front foot his body leaning slightly forward, head over the left foot and flicks it from the meat of the bat past mid wicket. The fourth ball, an attempted bouncer on the middle stump, rises only chest high. Sehwag moves his weight to the back foot and pulls it almost straight back past mid on with complete nonchalance.

This is a hypothetical reconstruction but we all know that it is very much within the realms of possibility.

So what did we see besides his belligerence? We saw a batsman who got four deliveries, completely different in line and length, and managed, without elaborate footwork, to hit them to four different parts of the ground with perfectly legitimate strokes executed in a manner that we know he can replicate again and again.

What's the issue then? What is it about his batting that bothers you so much? I ask the traditionalist lurking within me.

Oh, I tell myself, he hits too frequently in the air, he slashes wildly sending the ball in a wide arc rather than aiming for a precise area as great test batsmen do, he hits across the line far too often, his stroke play is premeditated and does not play the ball on merit, has virtually no footwork and is too damn aggressive to survive in bowler friendly conditions.

Wow. What a litany of complaints. The first thing even a person who did not know anything about cricket would have asked is how come someone who does so many things wrong can be successful over such a prolonged period? How come in ten years your world class bowlers haven?t found him out? Good questions but lets address each complaint against Sehwag?s batting in earnest.

1. He plays far too much in the air : Yes he does.

Bradman was asked for one piece of advise by young Harvey on the boat going to England for that famous 1948 tour and the great man said, "If you do not hit in the air, you will never be caught and that?s the most common way of getting out." Or words that effect.

Solid advise. Batsmen over the years have followed it to different degrees. But the game has changed, particularly since the limited overs game has gained importance. With just fifty overs to last and ten wickets to lose, the risk assessment of batsmen changed considerably. Batsmen started treating good length balls with considerably less deference. Driving on the up became a very profitable stroke. The ball does travel in the air for some time but batsmen became increasingly adept at playing it. In ODI's opening batsmen found that even with more close catching fielders in the early overs, the chance of a boundary in the relatively unmanned deep fields made it a risk well worth taking. Soon it became a habit. Batsmen tended to employ it in the longer version also, some compulsively out of habit picked up in the shorter game and others, like Sehwag, by design. No his driving in the air is quite deliberate and is a risk well worth taking.

2. Slashes aimlessly : Not true for test matches

Not many realise that Sehwag gets 57 percent of his Test runs in boundaries and that's not including the sixes! This is an incredible figure. I can not think of anyone who averages in the fifties and gets such a large proportion of his runs with fours in the history of the game. Richards and Lara at 52 were pretty high but 57 is something else. Just to put it in context remember that Gilchrist and Hayden, those spectacular stroke players, both clock under 49 and Pietersen just over 46 percent till the time of going to press. In the modern game Gayle has a high 60 percent but then his batting average is much lower at forty.

A large proportion of these boundaries are in the cover and extra cover region. That surely indicates a command over the stroke both in execution and, more importantly, in placement; otherwise defensive captains, in Test matches, would have managed to block this, his most prolific area.

People tend not to associate placement with the brutal driving of players like Sehwag as they so readily do with the delicate stroke play of those like Dravid. The ferocity of the stroke play seems to discount careful and precise placement. This is unjustified because Virender Sehwag is amongst the finest in the business of hitting the ball exactly where he wants. This is the reason for his high proportion of boundaries as well as the relatively few catches taken by close in off-side fielders off his driving.

He bats differently, however, in the ODI's which also partly explains his relative lack of success in that format. Sehwag, like every other batsman, comes to the crease in an ODI looking to bat in a more aggressive manner than he does in Tests. With other batsmen this means trying to bat as Sehwag does in Test matches, viz. more strokes, looking to hit even the good length ball and so on. But Sehwag already does all this in the longer version so he ends up throwing caution to the winds. In Test matches he does not really go berserk. He plays the ball on merit (the Sehwag definition of merit mind you) and plays it accordingly, hits it between fielders and so on. In ODI's, however, in an effort to do more he loses it completely. One doesn't see him making as many stupid strokes to get out in Test matches as one does in ODI's. Sehwag's aimless slashing and wild hoicks seems reserved especially for the shorter version.

3. Hits across the line : Yes but . . .

Most of Sehwag?s drives are played with a straight bat and that includes hitting balls sometimes from the off stump to straight field and from the leg stump to covers. When he wants to hit from the off stump to an area squarer than mid on he tends to employ the flick. He does not have Laxman's, or Richards', felicity to drive a ball from outside the off stump to mid wicket with a straight bat. When he does try to emulate this, he will sometimes end up playing a cross batted heave. The fact that it comes off more often than not does not mitigate the fact that it is an ungainly stroke. When it does not come off it makes him look very silly. Thankfully this isn't too often. Off side being his major strength he does not have to resort to this stroke frequently but when he does and it ends in disaster, he ends up looking ugly, irresponsible and worse. On top of that it tends to remain in public memory and the Sehwag image of indiscipline keeps getting reinforced.

4. Premeditated: Its merely an illusion

In our hypothetical scenario above, faced with four completely different deliveries, Sehwag played four completely different shots. Did he hesitate? Did you find him floundering? Its the same in real life. He plays a wide variety of shots one after the other and does it very effectively and without hesitation. How can he be premeditated? With such an aggressive style of batting, premeditated stroke play would stand out like a sore thumb due to the large number of miscues this would result in. The fact that he hits such a large number of balls so powerfully even when the ball deserved better makes us feel it must be premeditated. The successful execution of shot after shot shows that this feeling is merely an illusion.

5. Negligible footwork: Only partly true

This is the most common flaw people talk of in the context of Sehwag?s batting and not without with some justification. His use of body and head positioning and weight transfer to one foot or the other is discussed before. We need to just mention that he is not as devoid of footwork as some people seem to believe.

His feet do not move much early in his innings but they do as the innings progresses. Watch any of his long innings and you will find him going back and across to cut or fend off a rising ball and also moving his left foot close to the pitch of the ball to drive on the off side. One of his favourite shots is to shuffle backwards to outside the leg stump and then from there move his left leg right forward and drive a ball pitched on and even outside the leg stump, cleanly through covers. There can be few examples of better footwork than that. His footwork against spinners is also second to none. He will come right down the track to the best of them.

Still there is some justification in the observation regarding not moving his feet early in his innings against the quicker bowers. Even mid innings, he will suddenly lapse into this "stand-and-deliver" mode. He has evolved his batting to give full freedom to his attacking instincts. Getting his left leg out of the way to allow for a full and free flow of his bat for those booming cover drives is what he finds works well for him on the wickets we play most of our Test cricket on. Yes it can leave him vulnerable to the sharply in coming delivery but let the bowlers around the world exploit it often enough to hurt him and then lets see how he responds to a new and real threat. Till then lets the critics hold their peace.

6. Too aggressive - wont survive in bowler friendly conditions : Really?

With over six thousand runs, eight scores above two hundred, two above three hundreds, an average in the fifties and a strike rate in the eighties and climbing it is difficult to take the he-is-too-aggressive bit seriously except as a compliment?

That he won't survive in bowler friendly conditions begs two counters.

Firstly, is he alone in that category? Time and again we have seen the finest of the modern day floundering when conditions are bowler friendly and then complaining about bad pitches and errant groundsmen. The fact is that the batsmen today are spoilt by perfect batting tracks and this phenomenon needs to be tackled for the good of the game and not to show Sehwag his place. Yes a more defensive batsman may last longer in more bowler friendly conditions but that's the Hobbs versus Bradman argument all over again. Unless bowler friendly wickets become the norm there does not seem any reason for Sehwag to temper his aggression. That's all there is to the argument.

My feeling is the traditionalists, at heart, dislike Sehwag for his attitude to batting? his unbridled aggression and his utter contempt for line and lineage and they point to his feet to express their displeasure. His continued success makes them even more irritable. I exaggerate somewhat but it is probably closer to truth than we have been willing to admit.

The traditionalists might have welcomed a modern day Jessop if he had batted lower down the order, played destructive cameos and on the rare occasions reached the three figure mark. But for an opening batsman to bat like that in a Test match, do it day in and day out, scoring double and triple hundreds, is completely unpalatable for them. They are grievously offended. I was too. How could this man bat like that and achieve what Tendulkar, Dravid and Gavaskar had not been able to do, viz. score a Test treble. Then he goes on to do it again. Finally when I went to bed after that second day's play in that last test against the Sri Lankans with the thought that he might get a third one the next day, I was wondering whether I was being fair. Why did I refuse to consider this man even an equal of these towering Indian masters. I needed to answer that question fairly and objectively

Lets face it. He is not a technical cipher or anything remotely like it. He just does a few things differently. He does not move his feet all the time but does plenty of other things right. He is pre-meditated only in his aggressive intent not in his stroke play. My hypothesis is that Sehwag does not assess the length early (particularly off the faster bowlers) when he first comes in to bat. With this constraint an early foot movement would end up second guessing the bowler and being pre-meditated in the choice of stroke. He, therefore, employs another method. Without moving his feet he waits that extra fraction of a second till he has assessed where he needs to make contact with the ball and then, with no time left for elaborate foot movement, uses his transfer of body weight, still head, fabulous hand eye co-ordination and free flowing bat plays the shot best suited to the delivery. Unable to see the ball early like Tendulkar does, he still manages to give expression to his aggressive intent. Why should he be denounced for that?

By the way, there are the rare moments when Sehwag defends, mostly off the back foot. Watch him closely on these occasions. He is completely transformed. His feet move almost as well as anyone else. When Sehwag goes back in defense he goes well back and across and the bat comes up straight and perpendicular. It never fails to amaze me but it also reinforces my belief that what we are seeing in Sehwag is not a lack of technique but a harnessing of his skills to suit what he wants to do which is hit as many balls as hard and as far as he can.

No, Sehwag is not a man deficient in technique. He has adjusted his technique to suit the aggressive intent that is the essence of his game and that is what all great sportsmen must endeavour to do. He does not care what we think and say about his footwork. He cares about what he does to the ball and in that his philosophy is simple and uncluttered. History will judge him from what the scorebook records and, from all indications, that record will vindicate Sehwag's methods long after he and his critics are gone just as it happened with Bradman.

Instead of being so critical of Sehwag we could actually use his phenomenal success and his fantastic strike rate to understand what is happening to our game.

Not only are wickets far more batsmen friendly, the bats are better and the boundaries getting smaller. The risks associated with unorthodox batting are much reduced. The definition of percentage cricket has changed. Modern day conditions are perfect for more aggressive methods. They are also the graveyards of bowlers. This is what Sehwag has shown us.

I too do not like the fact that bowlers are slaughtered the way they are but that's not Sehwag's doing. Its also not going to change any day soon unless ICC decides to restore the balance between bat and ball. Why should a smart batsman not take full advantage of the situation - be he is name Donald Bradman or Virender Sehwag.

http://www.cricketweb.net/blog/features/181.php
http://www.cricketweb.net/blog/features/182.php[tscii:ef2ad50551][/tscii:ef2ad50551]

[Sourav]

This was my best ODI knock, says Sehwag
PTI 15 December 2009, 07:14pm IST

RAJKOT: Indian opener Virender Sehwag described his blistering 102-ball 146 in the first ODI against Sri Lanka as his best knock in One-Day Internationals.

"It is my best knock in One-Day Internationals. It is better than the 130 I made earlier," the Delhi dasher said after India beat Sri Lanka by three runs.

Sehwag was all praise for the pitch which produced 825 runs and said it also had something for the bowlers as was shown by Indian bowlers Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan to stop the surging Lanka at 411 fro eight.

"One-day cricket is batsman's game. It was a very good One-day wicket. Yet Ashish Nehra bowled 28 to 30 yorkers in his last five overs and Zaheer also bowled a lot of yorkers. That helped us win in the end," said the opener who struck 17 fours and six sixes.

"But when Tendulkar and I were batting we thought we could reach 350 as the wicket was that good. But then when I and MS Dhoni got together to raise the 300 in the 32nd over we felt we could get 400," he said.

Asked about the turning point of the match, Sehwag said, "That was the twin dismissals of Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan during the batting power play. When they were batting so well it looked we may lose the match. It was their dismissals that turned the match in our favour."

Sehwag said his batting effort would not have been enough for his side to win as the Lankans almost chased down the huge total.

"I could not have won the match alone. It was a team effort," he declared.

A modest Sehwag also did not agree to suggestions that his batting was as destructive as that West Indian legend Vivian Richards.

"I don't think I am anywhere near Sachin or Vivian Richards. It's you media people who are making this up," he said. 8-)

He also felt that though the Indian fielders dropped a few catches initially, it was the fine fielding effort in the end that took them home.

"We have dropped a lot of catches in the T20 and also dropped a few here. But later we realised that we need to focus on fielding well. We effected run-outs and fielded very well which contributed a lot to the victory," he said.

India effected three run-outs during the Lankan chase and took whatever came to the hand after dropping a few catches in the beginning to give lives to Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Upul Tharanga.

Sehwag did not think that his side erred on the timing of taking Powerplays.

"It was a team decision and we took the right decision. Sometimes it clicks and on others it does not."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/sri-lanka-in-india-2009/top-stories/This-was-my-best-ODI-knock-says-Sehwag/articleshow/5340540.cms[tscii:e01a71949e][/tscii:e01a71949e]

[Plum]

Thats a good article. Captures Sehwag very wel.
Recommended reading for Bala :-)

[Sourav]

Virender Sehwag proves his worth for India
REUTERS 17 December 2009, 06:15am IST

NEW DELHI: Virender Sehwag is enjoying sensational form for India, thanks to his faith in his own natural aggression after an injury break as well as unusually cautious starts.

The explosive opening batsman's match-winning knocks of 131 and 293 in Kanpur and Mumbai in the home Test series against Sri Lanka gave the team a 2-0 win this month and the number one ranking for the first time.

The 31-year-old Delhi batsman has carried the same approach into One-dayers which helped him to stroke a career-best 146, his first ODI hundred at home since 2005, and set up a thrilling three-run win in Tuesday's high-scoring first game in Rajkot.

His latest exploits have removed any lingering doubts about his place as an all-time great Test batsman.

The Mumbai innings, when he almost became the first to notch up three Test triple hundreds, added a new dimension to the constant debate in India about who is the country's greatest Test batsman.

That discussion will no longer be confined to former opener Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar
and Rahul Dravid.

Sehwag's destructive innings in Mumbai even won him comparisons with West Indies great Viv Richards.

His special value to the team was underlined after a shoulder injury, which needed surgery, sidelined him for the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June and the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa where India fared miserably.

Own Technique

In Mumbai, Sehwag almost emulated Don Bradman, the only Test batsman to have scored 300 runs (309) in one day.

His breathtaking attack turned the game on its head as he amassed 284 runs at stumps on the second day before failing to better the record of two Test triple hundreds he shares with Bradman and Brian Lara.

Former Test batsman Mohinder Amarnath praised Sehwag for the focus which has enabled him to top 150 in all but one of his last 13 triple-figure Test knocks.

"He has got his own technique," said Amarnath while doing television commentary. "But the temperament is what is important and he has got tremendous temperament."

Dropped after scoring one run on his India debut in a One-dayer in 1999, Sehwag bounced back two years later with a century on his Test debut in South Africa.

Sehwag, whose shots early on mirrored those of his boyhood idol Sachin Tendulkar, was persuaded by then skipper Saurav Ganguly to switch to opening to ensure a regular berth due to a packed middle order.

Quickly growing in stature by dominating bowlers, he showed his steely determination to stick to his style.

On the 2004 Pakistan tour, Sehwag became the first Indian to score a Test triple hundred (309), reaching the mark with a six.

That was despite a similar attempt to reach 200 in Melbourne on the previous tour ending in his dismissal and triggering a batting collapse which led to defeat.

Bad Balls

In Mumbai, he attacked champion spinner Muttiah Muralitharan on a bouncy pitch, paddle-sweeping to reach 100 and then a double century with fours.

Asked about his cautious approach in the initial stages in Mumbai before scoring the second-fastest Test double hundred, he explained in his inimitable style: "My mind was totally blank. I only wanted to hit the bad balls. In the dressing room, they were saying I was also hitting the good balls, but I was only hitting the bad balls."

Former Sri Lanka opener Avishka Gunawardene, commentating on television, joked: "Looks like Sehwag is saying Sri Lanka bowled only bad deliveries."

Sehwag enjoys an impressive Test record, having scored 6,248 runs in 72 Tests at an average of 52.50 with 17 hundreds.

However, his strike rate of 80.44 and the ability to score big knocks give India extra time to bowl out the opposition and have played a key role in their improved overseas record.

He has amassed 6,876 runs from 212 ODIs, although his all-out attack has not paid off as often in the shorter format with only 12 hundreds against his name.

Sehwag, whose comments often reveal his simple approach to batting, has also mastered the art of tongue-in-cheek remarks.

On Tuesday, after the close win in Rajkot where Sri Lanka almost pulled off the second highest One-day run chase, Sehwag was asked if he was nervous watching from the dressing-room after hurting his knee.

"I was actually supporting Sri Lanka," he said. "I'm a bit superstitious, so didn't want to support India."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/sri-lanka-in-india-2009/top-stories/Virender-Sehwag-proves-his-worth-for-India/articleshow/5346122.cms[tscii:1a7b68126b][/tscii:1a7b68126b]

[Dinesh84]

:cool2: title

[Sourav]

//
Wen Viru sings, Bowlers dance!

Wen Viru @ play, opponents pray!

Quotes like these r most welcome... :P

[VinodKumar's]

Veeru vettaiyaadum bothu Bowlers Mattaiyagiraanga :smokesmirk:

eppudi sourav ?

[Sourav]

Veeru vettaiyaadum bothu Bowlers Mattaiyagiraanga :smokesmirk:

eppudi sourav ? come out of vettaikaran fever... :lol2:
thalaivar aatam maathiri summa athiradiya irukkanum.... :smokesmile:

[VinodKumar's]

appo appo thalaivarum duck out aavarae maranthurucha :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:

[Sourav]

appo appo thalaivarum duck out aavarae maranthurucha :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: duck out ellorum than aavanga, athellam paartha thozhil panna mudiyuma? :lol2:
nalla quote-a solluna summa mokkai pottutu irukka...
no more chatting, :x ithenna vettaikaran thread-a? :lol2:

[Sourav]

This one is for Virendra Sehwag, says Rohit Sharma
http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_this-one-is-for-virendra-sehwag-says-rohit-sharma_1324533 8-)

[Sourav]

Sri Lanka in India, 2009/10


Tests:
Most runs Player Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 0 4s 6s
V Sehwag (India) 3 4 0 491 293 122.75 454 108.14 2 1 0 68 9
R Dravid (India) 3 4 0 433 177 108.25 700 61.85 2 1 0 52 3


T20s:
Most runs Player Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 0 4s 6s
KC Sangakkara (SL) 2 2 0 137 78 68.50 68 201.47 0 2 0 19 4
V Sehwag (India) 2 2 0 90 64 45.00 50 180.00 0 1 0 10 4


ODIs
Most runs Player Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 0 4s 6s
TM Dilshan (SL) 4 4 0 333 160 83.25 274 121.53 2 0 0 43 5
WU Tharanga (SL) 4 4 0 295 118 73.75 311 94.85 1 2 0 28 7
KC Sangakkara (SL) 4 4 0 217 90 54.25 178 121.91 0 2 0 20 6
SR Tendulkar (India) 4 4 1 216 96* 72.00 227 95.15 0 2 0 29 1
V Sehwag (India) 4 4 0 204 146 51.00 144 141.66 1 0 0 29 6

8-)

[Sourav]

Virender Sehwag: the greatest player of the decade?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/india/6875729/Virender-Sehwag-the-greatest-player-of-the-decade.html

Sehwag batsman of the decade, says Pringle
http://beta.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article70989.ece

//
yethuvum thitti reply pannidatheengappa... :oops:

[VinodKumar's]

yethuvum thitti reply pannidatheengappa... :oops:

bayam bayya :lol: :lol:

[Sourav]

yethuvum thitti reply pannidatheengappa... :oops:

bayam bayya :lol: :lol:
aama unnaya paathu... :lol: vettai style, "vinod-na bayam, bayam"... :lol2:

[VinodKumar's]

yethuvum thitti reply pannidatheengappa... :oops:

bayam bayya :lol: :lol:
aama unnaya paathu... :lol: vettai style, "vinod-na bayam, bayam"... :lol2:

confidence sourav confidence .... :lol:

[Sourav]

I'm not Viv Richards yet: Virender Sehwag
Vijay Tagore

You are the first runner-up in DNA Sportsperson of the Year and effectively the Cricketer of the Year. (http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_saina-nehwal-voted-dna-sportperson-of-the-year_1328950) Your comments...
It's a proud thing for me. I'm very happy to know that people have voted for me. I take it as an honour. I'm sure it will give me a lot of motivation to do well for the country. I feel very happy and proud that the people and journalists have given me a great honour.

Recently you were named 'Cricketer of the Decade'...
It's too early to say that. I don't think I deserve such an accolade at this stage in my career. I'm not the judge. If some people are saying that, it is their personal opinion. I respect their opinion. It's truly a great honour to be called the Cricketer of the Decade. Personally, however, I think it is too early.

It is being said that you are the most dangerous and destructive batsman since Viv Richards...
Again, I have a long way to go before I can be talked about in the same breath as Sir Viv. I feel I'm too young still. Richards is a legend and it is unfair to compare me to him. But I must admit that it's a great feeling. That is the way I play. That's my style. But personally, I do not think I'm in Richards' class.

Do you think 2009 was your best year?
Yes, I think so. I was very hurt after being dropped in 2007. Every time I go out to bat I remember of 2007. It gives me a motivation to do well. I keep thinking that if I don't do well, the days of 2007 will be back again. So I keep telling myself that I need to score runs. Since then, 2008 and 2009 have been very good years for me. I hope to continue my form in 2010 as well.

Would you have liked to achieve anything more in 2009?
Specifically, that triple century at Brabourne Stadium?
Not at all. I'm proud of my 293. I'm lucky to have gone that far. There are not many cricketers who have reached 293. No cricketer has three 290-plus scores. I'm the luckiest.

Was it your best innings ever?
I can say that. In fact, it was one of the three best innings of my career.

How have you changed over the years, particularly since 2007?
My batting has not changed at all. In fact, my technique also remains the same. Maybe there is a change in my mindset and approach towards batting. If you have noticed, I'm a little bit more careful with the new ball. A little later I play my shots. This way I'm able to get big runs. This change of mindset has come about because of Mr Sunil Gavaskar and Mr Kris Srikkanth. They keep advising me how to go about it initially with the new ball. In Kanpur and in Mumbai their advice have actually helped me a lot.

Any targets for 2010?
Not really. I want to take it match by match. I want to continue playing for the next four-five years. I have to work on my fitness. I hope to keep scoring runs for another five years.

Where can India go from here?
We're a very good side. We're No.1 in Tests and No.2 in ODIs. We have the ability to be the No.1 in ODIs as well. But we have to work hard for that.

Did you enjoy captaincy?
I enjoyed captaincy but MSD is the captain. He is doing a good job. We're lucky that we have got him as the captain and Gary Kirsten as coach. Kirsten's role is very important in the Indian team.

People now expect double and triple centuries from you...
Yes, there are a lot of expectations from me. It could see it as some kind of pressure but I don't take pressure on myself. My style of batting is to dominate the bowling and I can do that when there is no pressure. If I think about the expectations, I may not be able to score freely.

Finally, Delhi players have been doing very well although Delhi has become a controversial centre.
There are many talented players in Delhi. I'm not surprised at all because there is a lot of talent in the Delhi team. I'm proud to be a Delhiite and part of this Indian team.

http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/interview_i-m-not-viv-richards-yet-virender-sehwag_1328944[tscii:4a0a69a0b8][/tscii:4a0a69a0b8]

[Sourav]

Most runs Player Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 0 4s 6s

2009:

Tests:
V Sehwag (India) 6 9 0 631 293 70.11 579 108.98 2 1 0 92 11

ODIs:
V Sehwag (India) 20 19 1 810 146 45.00 593 136.59 3 2 0 114 20

2008:

Tests:
V Sehwag (India) 14 27 1 1462 319 56.23 1703 85.84 3 6 1 181 22

ODIs:
V Sehwag (India) 18 18 0 893 119 49.61 744 120.02 1 8 0 121 22

[VinodKumar's]

The joy-givers of the decade
Sehwag takes the bronze, Ntini the silver. The gold goes to an underdog with a social conscience and magic at his fingertips

Bronze goes to Virender Sehwag, the first batsman since Bradman to combine speed and gluttony. Bringing a one-day mindset to the Test crease, he has made outlandishly merry: only man bar Bradman to reach the 290s three times; two of the three quickest triple-hundreds in terms of balls faced; three scores of 250-plus at better than a run a ball; five of the 10 fastest double-tons. Among specialists with 2000 Test runs, he leads on strike rate, at 80.44 runs per 100 balls, with Clem Hill (74.91) a distant second. And still he averages over 54 for India, second only to Len Hutton among openers topping 5500 runs. The solitary consolation for bowlers is that he seldom detains them for longer than two sessions. Still, if any contemporary batsman can outstrip Lara's 400, he can.

It isn't easy to decide on the most amazing aspect of all this. That he has yet to challenge Viv Richards' record 56-ball 100? Or that, even after last week's 146 in Rajkot, he was still averaging 50% fewer in ODIs than Tests? Living proof of sport's glorious unpredictability? Yes. A freak? Time will tell, but quite possibly. A tonic for all, even in the Age of the Bat? You betcha.

Complete article - http://www.cricinfo.com/decadereview2009/content/story/440712.html

[Sourav]

Consistency key for India: Virender Sehwag
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/bangladesh-tri-series-2010/top-stories/Consistency-key-for-India-Virender-Sehwag/articleshow/5405092.cms

Thalaiva, expecting a 200 in this series... :tongueout:

[VinodKumar's]

The new Bradman

Like the Don, Sehwag bats with an uncluttered mind, has made over 290 three times in Tests, and has the best strike rate among high scorers of his generation

In a calendar year where there were many fine feats and admirable achievements, Virender Sehwag's remarkable performance in scoring 284 off 79 overs in a Test match day stands out like a peaceful protest. The way he mercilessly flayed the Sri Lankan attack at the Brabourne Stadium is further proof that he's the greatest destroyer since the U-boat.

In an era where over rates are slowing perceptibly, he's scoring quicker than ever. At a time when batsmen like Sanath Jayasuriya and Jonathan Trott enact more rituals than a religious cult, Sehwag just faces up, taps his bat a couple of times and proceeds to lash the ball to all parts. Where other batsmen rely on visualising techniques, he prefers the tried and tested method of "see the ball, hit the ball".

Sehwag has often said he doesn't think too much when he's batting. A wise man. After years of speculation about what, apart from his enormous skill, made Sir Donald Bradman so great, I've come to the conclusion that a crucial attribute was his ability to bat with an uncluttered mind. That's not all Sehwag has in common with Bradman. They are the only batsmen to surpass 290 three times in Test cricket. They also comfortably have the best strike rate among the high scorers of their generation. This leads to an interesting thought on batsmanship: should greater consideration be given to stroke production rather than technique in moulding young batsmen? After all, efficient run-scoring is not just a statistical exercise, it's the first rung on the climb to victory.

To add further weight to that argument: despite Sehwag's carefree approach, it's amazing how many of his notable achievements surpass those of opening batsmen renowned for their technique. As an opener, Sehwag has a higher average than Sunil Gavaskar. And 75% of Sehwag's centuries exceed 150. while Sir Leonard Hutton only achieved that landmark around 50% of the time. This is even more remarkable when you realise there was a time during John Wright's term as Indian coach that Sehwag was criticised for throwing his wicket away once he had got a start. I asked what his response was when the coach eventually felt the need to admonish Sehwag and Wright said: "Viru just shrugged his shoulders as if to say, 'Watch my next innings'".

There can be no argument that Bradman had the better technique, which speaks volumes for Sehwag standing by the conviction he revealed to Wright in his early days. This is an area where a coach can't help a young player; he's either born with Sehwag's confidence in his own ability or he's like the bulk of international batsmen and has moments of doubt. When comparing Sehwag to his own generation, it's the strike-rate column that shows his true worth to the team.

He exceeds such renowned new-ball clatterers as Matthew Hayden and Chris Gayle by more than 20 runs per 100 balls. Incredibly, he is 16 runs per 100 balls ahead of the eternally belligerent Jayasuriya. To score at 81 runs per 100 balls while opening the batting in Test cricket is quite remarkable, even in an era where the standard of fast bowling is a little down on the previous decade.

There's another amazing aspect to Sehwag's Test-match success. In Twenty20 cricket there are a number of openers who are within a faint edge of Sehwag's strike-rate. This suggests there are openers who can score quickly for a short period but that only Sehwag can prolong a hectic run-rate throughout a long innings, highlighting his amazing confidence in his own ability and the incredible strength of his uncluttered mind.

To those who attribute much of Sehwag's success to scoring heavily on flat Indian pitches, there's evidence to the contrary. He averages 50.48 away from India as an opener and has scored seven of his 16 hundreds on foreign soil. His 195 at the MCG in 2003-04 is one of the finest examples of an opener taking on the opposing bowlers on the opening day with gusto and audacious strokeplay.

Nevertheless, even that tearaway Sehwag innings pales into insignificance when compared with his outstanding achievement of 2009 at the Brabourne Stadium. May he play more innings like it in 2010, and hopefully everybody reading this column has a happy and healthy year.

[Sourav]

The new Bradman
Like the Don, Sehwag bats with an uncluttered mind, has made over 290 three times in Tests, and has the best strike rate among high scorers of his generation


The Untouchable: Sehwag the destroyer

Ian Chappell,

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/columnscricket/The-Untouchable-Sehwag-the-destroyer/Article1-493186.aspx

[Sourav]

Ron Reed's selects his best Test cricketers of the Noughties
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/ron-reeds-selects-his-best-players-of-the-noughties/story-e6frf9if-1225815815922

dravid-i vittutan. :twisted: :oops:

[VinodKumar's]

Rom Reed garavan yaaru :huh:

[Sourav]

Rom Reed garavan yaaru :huh: yen auto-la aal vacchu adikka poriya? :lol:
yaaruku theriyum... :lol2: cricket columnist i think... :roll:

wat u think abt that list? :huh: :lol:

[VinodKumar's]

Rom Reed garavan yaaru :huh: yen auto-la aal vacchu adikka poriya? :lol:
yaaruku theriyum... :lol2: cricket columnist i think... :roll:

wat u think abt that list? :huh: :lol:

yaarunae theriyathavan podurathellam rejetted ....

but one down slot kku Dravid ah ponting ah nu paatha Ponting konjam mela thaan irrukaan :oops: Still dravid deserves a place in that list :D

[Sourav]

Rom Reed garavan yaaru :huh: yen auto-la aal vacchu adikka poriya? :lol:
yaaruku theriyum... :lol2: cricket columnist i think... :roll:

wat u think abt that list? :huh: :lol:

yaarunae theriyathavan podurathellam rejetted ....

but one down slot kku Dravid ah ponting ah nu paatha Ponting konjam mela thaan irrukaan :oops: Still dravid deserves a place in that list :D appuram yen rejecttt panra... :roll: list looks good. :P

[VinodKumar's]

Rom Reed garavan yaaru :huh: yen auto-la aal vacchu adikka poriya? :lol:
yaaruku theriyum... :lol2: cricket columnist i think... :roll:

wat u think abt that list? :huh: :lol:

yaarunae theriyathavan podurathellam rejetted ....

but one down slot kku Dravid ah ponting ah nu paatha Ponting konjam mela thaan irrukaan :oops: Still dravid deserves a place in that list :D appuram yen rejecttt panra... :roll: list looks good. :P

Venam vuturunga naan yethavahtu solla poyi periya prachanaela mudinjura poguthu .... :wink:

[Sourav]

Sehwag is Line & Length's Man of the Decade
selected by voters...

2000 1, Flower 27.1%; 2, McGrath 21.9%; 3, Cronje 13.5%

2001 1, Laxman 39.8%; 2, Flower 15.4%; 3, Harbhajan 10.8%

2002 1, Vaughan 63.2%; 2, Dravid 12.1%; 3, Warne 10.4%

2003 1, Ponting 40.7%; 2, Dravid 22.1%; 3, Smith 12%

2004 1, Harmison 26.6%; 2, Flintoff 20%; 3, Lara 12.3%

2005 1, Flintoff 43.9%; 2, Warne 29.9%; 3, Trescothick 8%

2006 1, Yousuf 51.4%; 2, Muralitharan 16.8%; 3, Ponting 10.1%

2007 1, Kallis 31.8%; 2, Kumble 17.1%; 3, Sangakkara 16.3%

2008 1, Sehwag 26.8%; 2, Chanderpaul 20.7%; 3, Steyn 14.6%

2009 1, Sehwag 30.3%; 2, Swann 29.3%; 3, Strauss 12.1%


http://timesonline.typepad.com/line_and_length/2010/01/sehwag-is-line-lengths-man-of-the-decade.html

[VinodKumar's]

Sourav u shud have included the last line of the article

Don't blame me if your favourite doesn't make it, blame the voters...

:lol: payan usara irrukan

[Sourav]

Sourav u shud have included the last line of the article

Don't blame me if your favourite doesn't make it, blame the voters...

:lol: payan usara irrukan :P oruthan analyze panni select panrathai vida pala per vote pottu select panrathu innum weighttu thane... :goodidea:
// u could see more english players...select pannathu UK makkal-la... :P

[Sourav]

Official Site!

http://viruworld.com/

[Plum]

I think Viru has spoken more than he should in the recent interview. Granted, he doesnt sound megalo usually when he says things like "Once i get to 60, nobody can get me out". But this time, I feel schaudenfreude is waiting to happen...

[Dinesh84]

I think Viru has spoken more than he should in the recent interview. Granted, he doesnt sound megalo usually when he says things like "Once i get to 60, nobody can get me out". But this time, I feel schaudenfreude is waiting to happen... :confused2: :oops: :opening_dictionary:

[littlemaster1982]

Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude) says "pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others"

[Sourav]

plum, enna interview athu...link pls.