From the iSport Cricket Paddock: Sehwag's innings at Dambulla has created quite a hussle among news channels. With a controversy hovering around the 'no-ball' that Randiv was 'asked' to bowl, iSporter Akshay Iyer feels that the Indian team can learn a lot from the swashbuckling opener's innings.
For someone who is known for his attacking style in batting, Virender Sehwag’s record in One-Day Internationals isn’t as impressive as his Test match credentials.
Sehwag loves to get on with things from the first ball he faces, and his eagerness to impose himself on the opposition bowlers early in a 50-overs match, has led him to throw away his wicket on more than one occasion while attempting an impetuous shot.
Sehwag has always relied on his incredible eye-hand co-ordination to bludgeon bowling attacks. And, it is his foot movements or the lack thereof, which get Sehwag in trouble and the fact that he only knows just one way to bat, could be the reasons for his under-achievement in one-day internationals.
It is for these reasons that Sehwag’s match-winning unbeaten 99 against Sri Lanka at Dambulla on Monday night in the Micromax Cup is positive not only for the batsman but also for the Indian cricket team.
India is missing the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir from the squad for the Micromax Cup, and as one of the seniors, it is Sehwag’s responsibility to show the way to the youngsters. The match against Sri Lanka was a must-win for India, especially after being thrashed by New Zealand in the first match of the tournament.
The Indian bowlers did extremely well to restrict Sri Lanka to 170, but if India was to win without many flutters, it was imperative Sehwag stayed in the middle until the end. In fact, Sehwag was circumspect for most of his knocks and the fact that he hit his first six only off the 87th ball he faced shows the responsibility and composure he showed in the middle.
The Lankans would have targetted getting Sehwag out early as he is the backbone of India’s batting line-up in the Micromax Cup. Sehwag himself realises this and he played each ball on its merit for most of the innings, and while he may not have hit the big shots for most of his innings, the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ found the gaps in the field with ease and rotated the strike to ensure the scoreboard kept ticking over while ensuring the required run rate was always kept under check.
Sehwag refused to get flustered even when India lost three quick wickets to slip to 32 for 3 from 30 for 0. Sehwag also guided Suresh Raina during the fourth-wicket partnership that repaired India’s run-chase and continued to do the same in the unbroken partnership with captain MS Dhoni that helped the men in Blue register an important victory with a bonus point to moot.
Sehwag deserved to get his 13th ODI century, but was unfortunate to be left at 99*, even though he hit a six off a Suraj Randiv delivery, which had already deemed to be a no-ball. With the scores level, the extra run off the no-ball was counted as the winning run for India. This was the only part of Sehwag’s magnificent knock in trying circumstances that should possibly have turned out differently.
And, by playing such an innings, Sehwag has shown himself too that he doesn’t have to go hell for leather right from the outset. Sehwag’s batting is so uncomplicated that as long as he is in the middle, he will score runs and do so with ease.
The months leading up to the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent should hopefully see the youngsters in the Indian team learning many things from Sehwag’s knock in Dambulla, for it was one of the most perfect examples of pacing a one-day innings.
Sehwag loves to get on with things from the first ball he faces, and his eagerness to impose himself on the opposition bowlers early in a 50-overs match, has led him to throw away his wicket on more than one occasion while attempting an impetuous shot.
Sehwag has always relied on his incredible eye-hand co-ordination to bludgeon bowling attacks. And, it is his foot movements or the lack thereof, which get Sehwag in trouble and the fact that he only knows just one way to bat, could be the reasons for his under-achievement in one-day internationals.
It is for these reasons that Sehwag’s match-winning unbeaten 99 against Sri Lanka at Dambulla on Monday night in the Micromax Cup is positive not only for the batsman but also for the Indian cricket team.
India is missing the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir from the squad for the Micromax Cup, and as one of the seniors, it is Sehwag’s responsibility to show the way to the youngsters. The match against Sri Lanka was a must-win for India, especially after being thrashed by New Zealand in the first match of the tournament.
The Indian bowlers did extremely well to restrict Sri Lanka to 170, but if India was to win without many flutters, it was imperative Sehwag stayed in the middle until the end. In fact, Sehwag was circumspect for most of his knocks and the fact that he hit his first six only off the 87th ball he faced shows the responsibility and composure he showed in the middle.
The Lankans would have targetted getting Sehwag out early as he is the backbone of India’s batting line-up in the Micromax Cup. Sehwag himself realises this and he played each ball on its merit for most of the innings, and while he may not have hit the big shots for most of his innings, the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ found the gaps in the field with ease and rotated the strike to ensure the scoreboard kept ticking over while ensuring the required run rate was always kept under check.
Sehwag refused to get flustered even when India lost three quick wickets to slip to 32 for 3 from 30 for 0. Sehwag also guided Suresh Raina during the fourth-wicket partnership that repaired India’s run-chase and continued to do the same in the unbroken partnership with captain MS Dhoni that helped the men in Blue register an important victory with a bonus point to moot.
Sehwag deserved to get his 13th ODI century, but was unfortunate to be left at 99*, even though he hit a six off a Suraj Randiv delivery, which had already deemed to be a no-ball. With the scores level, the extra run off the no-ball was counted as the winning run for India. This was the only part of Sehwag’s magnificent knock in trying circumstances that should possibly have turned out differently.
And, by playing such an innings, Sehwag has shown himself too that he doesn’t have to go hell for leather right from the outset. Sehwag’s batting is so uncomplicated that as long as he is in the middle, he will score runs and do so with ease.
The months leading up to the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent should hopefully see the youngsters in the Indian team learning many things from Sehwag’s knock in Dambulla, for it was one of the most perfect examples of pacing a one-day innings.
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