Sehwag's Favourites

LAHORE

That'sthe name of the fast food restaurant that India's vice-captain Virender Sehwaglaunched in Delhi's Moti Nagar just a few weeks ago. He might have as wellchristened it 'Pakistan' in honour of the team that he has the best battingaverage in Test cricket against.

OnMonday, he cracked his third score in excess of 200 in an innings againstPakistan, following his 309 in Multan and 201 in Bangalore with an unbeaten 247in the opening Test at the Gaddafi Stadium here. He did that at his customarypace -- and, more importantly, keeping his concentration through a number ofbreaks for bad light. In Multan, he made 228 not out on the opening day andhere, he had made his runs in less than 90 overs.

Eventhough he readily concedes that the pitch was a belter, Sehwag's biggestchallenge was to avert boredom from creeping into his countenance, through thebreaks for bad light and because of the toothless nature of the home attack. Hehandled that really well, focussing on the task as hard as he has ever done. Andenjoying it as well. To have the master of concentration at the other end, RahulDravid, must have been a blessing too.

Sehwagscored at such a fast clip and shared an unbroken 403-run opening stand withDravid. His 93-delivery century was the fastest by an Indian batsman, beatingSunil Gavaskar's record by one ball. And his double century was the secondfastest in the history of Test cricket, leading many to expect him to go afterBrian Lara's Test record score of 400 not out.

The27-year-old has shown that he can lift his game against quality opposition. Thehalf-century for ICC World XI against Australia in the Super Series Test was hisonly big score since the double century against Pakistan in Bangalore last year.He did get starts against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka but was unable to convert anyof them to significant knocks.

Oneof the sub-contests within the larger match between the two teams was alwaysgoing to feature Sehwag and Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who was fired byhis newfound love for discipline and commitment to speak of unfinished businessagainst India. On the flattest of sub-continental tracks, Sehwag relegatedShoaib Akhtar to the support cast. The Pakistan paceman conceded in hisnewspaper column after the truncated third day that getting Sehwag out would bethe key to Pakistan's chase for victory on the flat track. That remained just adesire.

Itwas the second time that Sehwag was featuring in, nay dominating, a stand inexcess of 300 runs against Pakistan. During his maiden Test innings in Pakistanin 2004, he shared a massive partnership with Sachin Tendulkar, leaving themaster to enjoy his innings from across the length of the pitch. Now, in Lahore,it was Dravid's turn.

Ayoung Pakistan journalist asked Arti Sehwag, watching the proceedings from thegrand stand, to tell him to stop his plunder of the home bowlers. The demureArti responded "You didn't tell your batsmen that on the first twodays." The Sehwag show -- with Dravid for company -- was rolling and theonly ones who didn't enjoy it were the Pakistan bowlers and fielders.

If he continues in the same vein for even an hour on Tuesday, his partner at Sehwag's Favourites may have to find a dish to price higher than Rs 309.