Viru's Style Reminiscent Of Sir Don

Sir Donald Bradman must have been a genius. He averaged99.4 in Test cricket and by all accounts decimated attacks showing them nomercy. Today, Virender Sehwag must come close to resembling a modern day geniusbecause of his unerring and unnerving ability like Sir Donald to manhandleattacks and make Test match bowlers look like pop gun attacks.

For me, he has redefined how an opening batsman canapproach an innings. His performances in this recent series have been quitephenomenal, we helped him in Mohali by dropping him early on, but then that isthe game, and it is not Sehwag's fault if the opposition does not acceptchances.

He is effortless, with sublime timing, he isdestructive, often able to score over 10 in an over, he puts the bowlers undersevere pressure often until they crack. He hits sixes as though the ground isonly the size of a postage stamp. He gave us grey hairs trying to find ways todismiss him!

I would often sit in front of the computer withSehwag's innings on the bio-mechanics screen searching for the weakness, lookingfor the line and the length that would give him most difficulty.

In the end we settled for a short ball targeted into his chest. While thisstunted his run scoring we did not get him out this way.

Early on in his innings his strength is his weakness --the short ball swinging away but on a tight line on the off-stump might induce anick to the slip cordon. If he tries to hit it harder it often flies over theslip cordon or if you are lucky he drags the ball off the inside edge onto thestumps. They are not conclusive ways of bowling to him, however.

We were able to run him out occasionally and at timeshe gets careless, we did not see much of that in this series, unfortunately.

What makes him so good? He follows the most importantbasic principle of batting -- he is still when the ball is released and istherefore able to judge the length early and then make the shot without a flaw.His balance when he hits the ball is a joy for any coach to study as hetransfers his weight perfectly, makes contact with an ability to hit the ballextremely hard but make it look as though he is just caressing it. It is thewonderful gift of timing, pure timing, that makes him so dangerous.

When I watch him, he seems to have no regard for abowler. It is the presence of a man who does not believe he can get out. VivRichards had it, Graeme Pollock had it and Barry Richards had it and AdamGilchrist has it. While unique in appearance, (every individual is different)the result is the same.

Yet despite all the above, Sehwag's results in limited overs matches aresignificantly poorer than his Test match record. The white ball is not hisfavourite. He plays differently as though he is a loose cannon, the disciplinethat he shows in the multi-day game seems to go out of the window and it looksas though he is in a competition to see how far and how often he can hit aboundary.

While he is still very dangerous, he gives the bowlermore chances, I guess that is also the nature of the game. It is interesting whythough he cannot just bat normally for 45 of the 50 overs as he is such a goodplayer that he would still ensure a big score.

If I were to have a criticism of the Tendulkar-Sehwagpartnership, neither seems prepared to go the distance and both want to outscoreeach other!

His off-spin bowling is totally under-utilised and itstaggers me that he does not bowl more. He is excellent in the field, takescatches in the deep and close with relative ease. He is a very completecricketer.

His batting definitely takes on the qualities of agenius like Bradman. He is able to dominate attacks and will do so allthe while that he is prepared to be hungry at the crease.

I cannot imagine a better technique and he could perhaps play the short ballbetter, but there have been a lot of batsman who have played the same way. Hookingtoo early can lead to dismissal and invite stern and angry looks from the coach,captain and team-mates.

Sehwag is so confident of his ability that he wasquoted as saying that had he not been run out he would have won the game forIndia at Bangalore. We shall never know if that would have been the case. He wascertainly a threat and Inzamam delayed his declaration because of it.

In conclusion, India have unearthed a jewel. Amazingly,Sehwag learnt his cricket as a middle order batsman but has taken to openinglike a duck takes to water. His technique is one to copy, his propensity to goon after scoring a hundred makes him a modern day great. However, and mostremarkably, it is his sublime timing, that for me, makes him a genius.

PTI