Virender Sehwag dominates bowling attacks around the World
Virender Sehwag is one of the most dangerous batsmen going around these days. He has made some valuable contributions to India’s cause with his destructive batting in recent years.
Sehwag has caught the eye of his admirers with his brutal stroke play. He has been an intelligent player. His intelligence has played a crucial role in his success. He has never changed his game, and always has been an aggressive batsman whatever the situation might be. Many people question his technique and footwork but they forget the effect he has on the opposition’s bowlers.
Maintaining a Test strike rate of 81 at an impressive average of 54, scoring 7039 runs with 21 Test centuries in 79 matches, speaks volumes of skill. If a batsman can achieve these numbers without the best of techniques and footwork then why change his game?
Virender Sehwag has the ability to score runs quickly in both the longer versions of the game. He can play for longer periods of time maintaining the same run rate.
Virender Sehwag is the only Indian batsman to score a triple century. He achieved this feat by hitting a six over Saqlain Mushtaq’s head at Multan in 2004. He, alongside Brain Lara and Don Bradman, is the only batsman to have scored two triple centuries. Brain Lara and Don Bradman scored their two triple centuries against similar oppositions, but Sehwag scored them against two different countries. He has scored the fastest triple century of all time, when playing against South Africa. He has scored 6 double centuries in all, including his two triple centuries.
Virender Sehwag, also has an exceptional ODI career. He has scored 7352 runs with 13 centuries at an average of 34, with a breathtaking strike rate of 103. His last ODI century, in the recently concluded match between India and New Zealand, at Dambulla remained true to his aggressive style. He did not alter his game and did not change his individuality, even though, the wicket was doing a bit and the top order was crumbling around him. He single handedly won the match for India. He scored 110(93) in a total of 223.
Every other batsman goes through a rough patch in his career. Sehwag’s career last went through a poor patch in 2006/2007. He regained his form on the last Australian tour where he scored a match saving 151 in the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval. This was only his 2nd Test match since his comeback. He missed the first two Tests of that series. He has been India’s premier batsman and has never looked back since that tour of Australia. He has scored 7 more centuries with 319 being his best against South Africa.
Virender Sehwag’s ability to score runs at pace, differentiates him from other opening batsman. He has this ability to change the game on his own in the first couple of hours. His Test strike rate of 81 is a clear evidence of this fact. If we look at Test strike rates of opening batsman around the World, Sehwag comes out as a clear winner. Sehwag has a Test strike rate of 81. Tamim Iqbal is 2nd with 61, Graeme Smith is 3rd with 60, and Chris Gayle is 4th with a Test strike rate of 58.
Virender Sehwag can destroy even the best of attacks. Many batsmen have struggled to maintain their game when they are up against quality attacks, but Virender Sehwag has scored runs against all quality sides. He has scored centuries against all Test playing nations except Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. He has scored Test centuries on the shores of all Test playing nations. His average against Australia and South Africa is remarkable, two of the best bowling line ups of his time. He has scored 1483 runs against Australia at an average of 51, with 3 centuries in 15 matches, 195 being his best. He has scored 1162 runs at an average of 58 with 5 centuries in 12 matches 319 being his best.
At 31-years of age, he still has some good years left in his extraordinary career. Oppositions around the World will be making plans to counter Virender Sehwag’s skills, but he has the ability to ruin all their plans.