Virender Sehwag - In a freakish league of his own

Virender Sehwag is a man who needs no introduction to the cricket fraternity, especially the one in India. A country obsessed with Sachin Tendulkar found a new batting hero in Virender Sehwag, fondly called “Viru” by his team mates and fans, who became one of the greatest Test batsmen in the world, and a dangerous one day batsman as well.

Viru made his One day international debut in the year 1999 and it took almost 2 years for him to make his test debut for India. He was picked in the team as an off-spinner/all rounder. No one really had an idea about him until he was promoted up the order and was given the freedom to play his natural game. India found a player who simply focused on hitting the ball and did not worry about how to hit the ball. So indeed it was a master stroke from Sourav Ganguly to promote this gem of a batsman up the top order.

On his technique

Sehwag has his own technique which works for him very well. End of the day, what counts is the amount of runs made and the time taken to do so. This will determine the outcome of a match. If one can replicate this more often than not then it can be argued as a definition for consistency. To score big hundreds rapidly and frequently is truly a sign of greatness. History will only note these statistics, technique will be confined to the manuals. Enjoy what Sehwag offers. In fifty years time people will be speaking about the next Sehwag.

Sehwag’s technique is unique and inimitable which appears to be a combination of orthodox and unorthodox. Sehwag is like a Commander-in-chief of the batting crease. He has his own brand of hitting – paddle sweep, sixers over third man, extra cover and over the wicketkeeper , which totally frustrates any bowler. For sheer entertainment value, he is a genius without rivals. Only Don and Sehwag can score 290 runs at a strike rate of nearly 100. Sehwag is a batting genius who could make the best bowling ordinary with his dominance.

There are some things you can’t measure in numbers, but for the stats fanatics, Viru scored 16,544 international runs which includes 22 centuries, 2 triple tons, 6 double tons, an average of over 50 strike rate of over 80 – all of this while opening most of the time in test cricket. He is one of the only 3 batsman to have scored 2 triple tons in test cricket. He holds the record for the highest individual score by a batsman in one day internationals. He broke the record of his role model Sachin Tendulkar by scoring 219 against West indies in the year 2011.

More than all the records – the strike rate, the hundreds, double-hundreds, the average – it is Sehwag’s ability to turn a match so decisively and in a consistent fashion that sets him apart from many of the other contemporaries. Faced with the same situation as England in Chennai, a Dravid or Kallis would be many folks’ choice to save the match. But if you have a positive intent and want to win, Sehwag it is over anyone else.

Virender Sehwag is the “Lord of the Crease”. He puts the fear of God in every bowler when he is at the crease. He dictates the game to the bowlers. Attack is the best part of his defence. Nobody in the world can score nearly 300 runs in less than a day at a strike rate of over 100 in a test match – Don Bradman included. Sehwag is simply peerless and cannot be compared to anyone leave alone Viv Richards. When Sehwag is in full cry, the whole cricket world is in awe watching his utter dominance of every bowler. He may not be as classical as Tendulkar. But he is a sheer pleasure to watch. Above all, by the time he has scored his century and left, he would have caused an atomic destruction of the opposing bowlers leading to his team’s victory. Such genius is rare and comes once in a century. India is fortunate to have Sehwag, Cricket’s’ “Kohinoor”.

Reasons for his success

His ability to play his natural game in any given situation. Viru once said in a interview: I watch the ball not the bowler. This proves he doesn’t really care about the reputation of the bowler but treats the ball on its own merit.

To people tagging him as flat track bully – a fan’s memory can be fickle. They also say form is temporary and class is permanent. Sehwag in his prime had put genuine fear in the eyes and minds of his adversaries. On tough pitches against class bowling attacks, he had played knocks that defied even Sachin’s. Sample a few- 201 n.o against Sri Lanka in Lanka with Murali and Mendis at their prime, out of a score of 300 odd leads to India win, 190 n.o against Lankans on a turning/seaming wicket in Mumbai against Murali and Vaas in attack, 300 odd away in Pakistan against an attack with Shoaib and Saqlain in their prime, 300 in 290 balls against an attack comprising of Steyn and Morkel, 194 on a damp pitch against Lee, Gillespie in Melbourne, 120 odd against McGrath, Warne and Gillespie on a dicey wicket in Chennai in ’04 and many more.

Sehwag is already an all-time great with his astounding SR and 50+ avg. Can’t fathom why people have a problem with flat-track bullying. If out-scoring all batsmen on both sides in 2008 Galle on a vicious spinning track with Mendis at his peak, with precise foot-work and shot-execution is a sign of a flat-track bully, then yes he one. Who cares, quality matters on any pitch. I agree that his form overseas has been disastrous mainly due to lack of application and hunger, but doesn’t take away anything from his ‘greatness’ he’s achieved. He started at 24, and the pace at which he has demolished attacks in the test format, his is a phenomenal success story already. He surely needs to prove a point in SA and Eng and in doing so, it will only be an add-on to his legacy. For instance, the paradigm shift he brought in the game has had a much heavier impact than a steady Sachin has.

Sehwag makes the hall of fame only for the fact of transforming an opener’s role in test cricket. Similar to Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana transforming an opener’s role in the ’96 World Cup. He is a transformational player whose self belief and confidence has made him overcome his limitations. His batting is a joy to watch. He is an inspiration not just on the cricket field but in all walks of life.

Sehwag is the most destructive batsman ever. The day he calls it a day, we will lose the most positive and entertaining influence in the modern game. He makes everything looks so easy, whilst others in the Indian team (who are very good players in their own right) look few notches below him. Besides, everyone in the world can play with similar protective gear or cricketing equipment, but still cannot muster runs at the same pace as Sehwag, or play with nonchalant ease that he manages. Those who do not like him clearly want test matches to die.

Players like Sehwag make test match cricket worthwhile. The same applied to the great Don, and by that logic, Sehwag is the new Bradman, to Ian Chappell. To me, Sehwag is Sehwag – saving grace of modern test match cricket. Sehwag has done well playing away against better teams than weaker ones. He has notched up big hundreds all over the world. He has nothing more to prove.

On his current form

Over the years, just when critics got busy, Sehwag used to produce a magical innings to shut them up. Now he is not the same Viru after his shoulder injury. The critics are busy now. It’s time to produce another gem. Go on Viru, make the future count! Hit the ball harder!