Pinch Hitter

Best of Sledging in Cricket

2008-11-26T06:13:00Z

The term Sledging in cricket is equivalent to trash talk in Basketball. Both these terms have the same intentions – to distract the opponent or to break his concentration. But the point is where do you draw the line? These banters have become part of the game. Even the greatest players sledge because at the end of the day, you play to win. Don't you? But yes, where do you draw the line? My take on it is that as long as it remains within the rules and as long as they are limited to harmless banters, sledging should not be looked up as the demon all of us make it to be.

Here are a few funny instances on the cricket field over the years. Remember, these examples are not first-hand information, or, as they say, straight from the horse's mouth. There is no way you can authenticate them. Still, these always make funny reading.

Merv Hughes and Vivian Richards

During a test match in the West Indies, Merv did’nt say a word to Viv, but continued to stare at him after deliveries.

“This is my island, my culture. Don’t you be staring at me. In my culture we just bowl.

Merv did’nt reply, but after he dismissed him he announced to the batsman: “In my culture we just say f**k off.

Ian Healy and Arjuna Ranatunga

Healy’s legendary comment which was picked up by the channel 9 microphones when Ranatunga called for a runner on a particular hot night during an ODI in Sydney.

Healy: “You don’t get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat c**t!!!

Glen McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan

McGrath: “So what does brian Lara’s d**k tast like?

Sarwan: I don’t know. Ask your wife.

McGrath (losing it): “If you ever effing mention my wife again, I’ll rip your effing throat out.

Javed Miandad and Dilip Doshi

Miandad at the crease, Doshi bowling.

Miandad: “Arre Doshi apna room number to bataa” (Nothing from Doshi)

Next ball, Miandad asks again “Arre Doshi apna room number to bataa”. Still nothing.

When the over ends.

Miandad: “Arre ab to over khatam ho gaya, ab to bataa de” Doshi: (finally relents). Room number “216”Miandad: “Agle over mein ball wahi maroonga”

(Player’s hotel was quite near the stadium.)

Steve Waugh and Parthiv Patel

Waugh in his last test comes to bat.Patel: So this is your last test… show us some of that famous sledging of yours.”

Waugh: “Respect me… For when I made my test debut you were still in your nappies.”

Greg Thomas and Vivian Richards

Thomas was bowling to Viv in a county game. Viv missed a superb out swinger, Thomas: “It’s red, round and weighs about 5 ½ ounces.” Next ball Viv hits Thomas out of the ground for a 6 and replies.

Viv: “Greg, you know what it looks like. Go ahead and find it!”

Daryl Cullinan and Shane Warne

As Cullinan was on his way to the wicket, Warne told him he had been waiting for 2 years for another chance to humiliate him. “Looks like you spent it eating”.

Fred Truman and Raman Subba Row

Truman bowling. The batsman edges and the ball goes to first slip, and right between Subba Row’s legs. Fred doesn’t say a word. At the end of the over, Subba Row ambles past Trueman and apologies sheepishly. Subba Row: “I should’ve kept my legs together, Fred”. The reply is classic Truman,

Truman: “Not you, son. Your mother should’ve!”

Merv Hughes and Javed Miandad

Merv Hughes and Javed Miandad in the 1991 Adelaide Test against Pakistan. Hughes was less than impressed when Javed called him a “fat bus conductor” as the pair squared up to one another. A few balls later, Hughes got his man and as Javed walked past, Hughes could not resist shouting “Tickets, please!”

Hansie Cornje and Merv Hughes

During a test match in South Africa, Cronje kept hitting Hughes for sixes all over the park. Nearly every ball Hughes bowled to Cronje went to the boundary. Sick and tired of bowling on the flat pitch and the treatment he was getting from Cronje, Hughes walked up to Cronje, turned around and farted saying “try hitting this for a six.”

Glen McGrath and Edo Brandes

McGrath was bowling to the Zimbabwe number 11 batsman Edo Brandes. Brandes was unable to get his bat anywhere near the ball. McGrath, frustrated that Brandes was still at the crease, wandered up during one particular over and inquired: McGrath: “Why are you so fat?” quick as a flash, Brandes replied:

Brandes: “Because every time I make love to your wife, she gives me a biscuit.”

Mark Waugh and Adam Parore

Mark Waugh standing at second slip, the new player to the crease playing and missing the first ball.

Waugh: ‘ohh, I remember you from a couple years ago in Australia. You were s**t then, you’re useless now”.

Parore – “Yeah that’s me & when I was there you were going out with that old, ugly s**t & now you’ve married her. You dumb.”

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Mahi Way

2008-11-10T09:10:00Z

Yet another famous victory and Dhoni completes a hat-trick. Wonder how many more such victories will come out of Mahi's hat! While all of us sincerely hope he is not buried under the burden of hope, the stars of Indian cricket couldn't have been shining any better.

While we would be sujected to reams of prose in Dhoni's praise in the next couple of days, I would like to add another dimension to this euphoria. For me, after a very long time, we have found in Dhoni a player fit enough to lead the team in all three versions of the game. A luxury that's taken so many years to come by.

Remember the shocker in 2007 when Rahul Dravid relinquished captaincy after the England series which we won 1-0. The then chairman of selectors, Dilip Vengasarkar was in a fix looking for a replacement. Nobody, from Sachin Tendulkar to Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman and even Mahender Singh Dhoni, was either ready or considered suitable for the job. Finally, the crown of thorns, if we may say so, was given to Anil Kumble.

From reasons as varied as politics to ego problems to even lack of form, the Indian playing XI has at times inlcuded as many as 4-5 former captains. Even in this series, Dhoni has marshalled a team with three ex captains: Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid.

Now, Anil Kumble's retirement meant a new captain. Dhoni was a unanimous choice. And for cricket pundits, Dhoni comes across as a good player with a balanced head on his shoulders. He is a very composed and level-headed cricketer.

India couldn’t have asked for anybody better at this point. He has proved, over the months, that he can lead the team in any form of the game: be it 20-20, ODIs or now Tests. Call it his luck or whatever, the fact is that India, under him, is today knocking at ICC's top ranking positions.

Sure, these are early days to comment on his captaincy in Tests. But if his attitude to the game is any indication, I am sure he won't be any different in the longer version of the game too. For me, India is in a very safe pair of hands, at least until the next world cup!

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Test of Cricket

2008-10-21T09:16:00Z

At the end of the first Test between India and Australia in the current Border-Gavaskar trophy, I couldn't resist a temptation to treat myself to live action at least once before the Aussies go back home. The high-adrenalin action the second test in Mohali promised was too good to be missed by any cricket lover. One look at the prospects and you wouldn't think twice before packing your bags for the almost five-hour long drive between Delhi and Chandigarh. Sachin Tendulkar was on the cusp of history, just 14 short of overtaking Brian Lara. And yes, after the drawn first Test, the rivalry between these two teams only promised to get bitter.

So there I was with a couple of my friends at Mohali's PCA stadium, arguably the second best ground in the country after Eden Gardens. All set for five exciting days of gruelling competition, and with stand-in captain Mahinder Singh Dhoni winning the toss and electing to bat first, I expected a packed stadium.

But I was in for a rude shock. Even on the third day, with the Aussies tottering at there weren't many spectators in the stadium. The stands were near empty throughout the day, except for some bored students from schools that got free passes, courtesy the Punjab Cricket Association.

Empty stands on a weekend? That too with India batting? And we call ourselves a cricket-crazy nation? Players still value their test performances highly. Given a choice they would still want to prove their mettle in the longer version of the game. But one look at the attendance at Mohali and you start wondering if all this talk about Test-cricket being the ultimate and true test of a cricketer is actually fading.

Not too long ago, say about a decade back, I remember jostling and fighting for a seat in a stadium even for a Ranji Trophy match. Where are those hard-core cricket fans? Are these numbers falling because of the rising popularity of the T-20s?

If the numbers keep falling like this, I wonder if the death-knell for Test cricket has already been sounded.

May be, bringing in format changes in Test cricket is an answer. But I doubt if new rules like field restrictions, ball changes after 35 overs and others that were brought in to make ODIs more exciting can help revive Test cricket. I don't have an answer. The only thing I know is that the sparse crowd in Mohali is not a good sign for Test cricket in India.

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Less to gain and lot to lose…

2008-10-15T07:38:00Z

In cricket, they say you are only as good as your last inning. And when your string of bad form prolongs, you open yourself to the risk of being tolerated by the same fan who put you up on a pedestal not too long ago. Like in life, you perish if you don't perform and all the years spent carving out a career can come to a nought with just a few dismal shows. Remember the drag Kapil Dev's career had become towards the end? All of us wanted him to reach the 432 wicket milestone, but it was never coming. Even a serious talent like Javagal Srinath had to wait in the wings for almost two years so that Paaji could reach his record. Somewhere along the line then, even his most ardent fan couldn't wait any longer for Kapil to reach the record and hang his boots. Certainly not the kind of end a cricketer of Kapil's stature would have wanted.

In the process, what Kapil did in his 14 years of international cricket was forgotten and he was being ridiculed. His fans didn't mind that extended rope for him, but at the same time wanted the record to happen fast. A good match for him was something that he was anyways supposed to deliver, but a poor performance was magnified.

It's the same with our Fab 4 (Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly & Anil Kumble). They are at a stage in their careers where all past achievements are, to put it mildly, a thing of the past. And, every bad outing they have on the field only dents their reputations further. Their fans, and even critics, won't have anything short of a superlative performance from them. Fifties or two-wicket hauls are not sufficient any more. Because, that is something they are anyways expected to do. For their fans, nothing short of a match-winning performance will do. And when that is hard to come by, it is disappointment, and the accompanying criticism, all around. In other words, our heroes for all these years now have less to gain and lot to loose…

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Dada's winning note

2008-10-08T11:40:00Z

Now that the first of the Fabulous Five has announced his retirement, is this the beginning of the end of an era? All these five mesmerising men played together for the maximum period together. But inspite of their brilliant individual records, one has to admit that they couldn't collectively achieve for India what they promised. Even after a collective presence on the pitch all these years, we still crave for consistency, series victories overseas, another world cup title... and we are still the third ranked team in the ICC test rankings.

Cricket is a team game. Individual records and achievement are no good if you can't produce results as a team. Remember the fearsome West Indian team of the 70s and 80s. The key to their immense success, both at home and abroad, was the fact that the fearsome foursome of the team worked well as a team. And they were consistent with their performances over a long period of time.

Yes, but Sourav Ganguly did teach us Indians a couple of things about leadership. He taught us that to lead a team you need to be shrewd, ignore the best to take the best head on with a long term vision. He taught us that trying to keep everyone happy is not the way of going about things. Instead, he insisted on the boys to believe in their instincts and then backed them to the hilt.

Do we then expect a great sendoff to our first Super Leader? We will have to wait and watch for that.

But, what really comes to mind at this point in time is: Who next? And when?

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Now that Sourav Ganguly is part of the Indian team, I have few questions...

2008-10-01T12:29:00Z

Is Sourav in the team because we have a new selection panel now?
Or, is it because of the relentless media hype and crowd pressure?
Or, according to the new selectors, experience really is the need of the hour?
Or, is he in the team because they want to say bye – the Aussie way?

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Bye -- The Aussie Way

2008-10-01T06:43:00Z

The argument continues. Should Sourav Ganguly be included in the team for the Border-Gavaskar series, because, remember, he is India's most successful captain, or should the selectors be ruthless and stick to their vision for a team of the future? Now, I would say our selectors should do what the Australians did to Steve Waugh. Unarguably one of the most respected cricketers in Australia, Waugh almost had a forced retirement when he led the team to India in 2004. This was the Aussie way of giving their hero a chance to announce his retirement and thus have an honourable exit.

I think we Indians too should do the same to Ganguly. Not just him, but even for the others in the Fabulous Four club. Given that all of them are on the edge of the end of their glorious careers, Ganguly seems to be the first one ready to walk out, followed closely by Dravid. We will have to wait for Kumble's turn, given that he is the captain of the team now. As for Sachin, given his reputation and the cult status he enjoys, I am sure he will get a chance to announce his retirement unless an injury forces an early exit.

My team for the Border-Gavaskar series would be

Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Saurav Ganguly, Mahender Singh Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Badrinath, Munaf Patel, Pragyan Ojha.

The question is: do we have the bench strength to replace these stalwarts? It is not an easy question. Indeed we need to groom youngsters like Rohit Sharma, Badrinath, Pragyan Ojha, Suresh Raina and the best way to do that, in my opinion, is to give them a chance to grow with our senior playes. So lets give Ganguly a final chance, for two reasons. One, India owe it to him, and then, it also gives us a chance to make use of his vast experience. What do you say?

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Game for Money?

2008-09-22T10:13:00Z

Aussie captain Ricky Ponting could very well be sporting a "See-I-told-you-so" look on his face since Saturday's deadly suicide attack on Islmabad's Mariott Hotel.

His comment justifying Australia's decision to call off the Pakistan tour. "The decision to not tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy had been the right one, following bomb blasts in Islamabad over the weekend. The right way through is that we just have to listen to the advice from the experts, our Department of Foreign Affairs, and security advice".

Now, I am not too convinced with this line of thought. Why is it that on the question of touring India, the same Department of Foreign Affairs blinded itself to similar "security threats", inspite of the successful execution of Operation BAD in India (Bombings in Bangalore, Ahmedabad and recently in Delhi). Ask the players. It is never easy to concentrate on the game when you are playing international cricket under such fear. Still, most international boards would rather agree to play in India than Pakistan when it is a question of safety.

Is that the only reason why the Aussies are touring India without much fuss about safety issues? I think there is much more to it than the "assurance" from the Indian authorities or the Australian Foreign Affairs Department.

Lets look at it this way. We all know that BCCI is the richest Board in the world and in this cricket crazy nation, you get everything as a player: from money to endorsements to even fame. Add to all this the IPL craze and its promise to get even bigger in the second season. With that in mind, I would say that no board or player can afford to let go of a chance to tour India.

Now that the tour is been given a green signal by all concerned department here are a few things to look forward to in this tour

Sachin Tendulkar
Needs 77 more runs to be the highest run getter in the Histroy of Test cricket.
2 more catches to complete a 100 catches milestone

Harbhajan Singh 9 more wickets to reach 300 wicket milestone.

Brett Lee 11 more wickets to reach 300 wicket milestone.

Wasim Jaffer

56 runs short of reaching the 2000 runs milestone

Saurav Ganguly (if selected) 112 runs short of 7000 run milestone"

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Off the record

2008-09-07T08:24:00Z

Here's some more interesting cricket facts.

When England toured India in 1976-66, Yajurvidndra Singh took record seven catches in his debut Test to equal Greg Chappel’s record. He took 5 catches in the first innings to equal Vic Richardson’s record of five catches in an innings. Singh played only 4 test matches for India. Rahul Dravid has taken more than 7 catches in a series on 6 occasions. In the 2004-2005 Border–Gavaskar Trophy in India, Dravid took 13 catches in the 4-Test series. So far, Dravid has taken 175 catches in 124 matches: the maximum by any Test player. Australia has done it 17 times: Winning Every Match in a Series. Out of these, the Aussies have won a 5-match series 4 times: beating England twice, South Africa and West Indies once each. They have done it twice on foreign soil: beating Sri Lanka 3-0 in 2003-04, and South Africa by the same margin in 2005-06. Bowler-fielder comboIn ODIs, Kallis and Pollock hold the record for 26 dismissals with a bowler-fielder combination: Kallis, the bowler, and Pollock the fielder. In Tests, Muthiah Murlitharan and Mahela Jayawardene hold the same record with 76 dismissals. Man of the matchKallis and Murlitharan hold the record for the highest number of Man of the Match awards in test cricket: both have got it 19 times. In ODIs, Sachin Tendulkar holds the record with 56. Those who missed the earlier posts in this series, please click http://blogs.livemint.com/blogs/ipl/archive/2008/08/05/not-just-cricket-again.aspxhttp://blogs.livemint.com/blogs/ipl/archive/2008/07/22/cricket-tickles.aspxhttp://blogs.livemint.com/blogs/ipl/archive/2008/07/18/not-just-cricket.aspx

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Bradmanesque

2008-08-27T07:45:00Z

The only time Bradman got out in his 90s was at the age of 92. He died at the age of 92. Bradman did not get his hundered this time but had he been alive he would have turned 100 today.

Bradman was special but he too was human. If you read Ian Chappel’s article "My fight with the Don" (27th August, page 19 HT) and "Bradman’s Best" by Roland Perry released in 2001 you will find lot of common things.

If you look at his XI

Barry Richards

Arthur Moris

Don Bradman

Sachin Tendulkar

Gary Sobers

Don Tallon

Ray Lindwall

Dennis Lillee

Alec Bedser

Bill O’Reilly

Clarence Grimmett

Wally Hamond

He was stubborn in many ways. Don Tallon as a wicket keeper in his XI completely perplexes me when there was Adam Gilchrist. Don Tallon only averaged 17.13. Viv Richards, Shane Warne and Wasim Akram’s exclusion will always be a mystery.

If you look at the XI, there were eight with whom he had played, there were seven Australians in the team, Sachin Tendulkar was the only player who was playing when the team selection took place. All this suggests that Bradman was comfortable only with those he had previously worked with. Even if this meant that some good talent was being wasted.

Just for the record:

1. Only four countries had the privilege of playing against Bradman. (England, India, South Africa and West Indies)

2. Melboure was his favourite ground where he scored nine hundereds and averaged 128 in 11 Tests

3. Batting position No. 4 was the unlucky for Bradman. He averaged just below 54 in that position

4. He was run out and hit wicket only ones. But, like most batsman he also had a higher percentage of caught out dismissals

5. For Sachin Tendulkar Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) might have been the best hunting ground but for Brandman it was the least. He averaged only 58.5 at SCG

6. Out of the 52 Tests Bradman played, 37 were against England, Where he scored 19 hundreds with an average of 89.79

7. In a Test career lasting only 80 innings (52 Matches) Bradman scored under 50 38 times. This included 7 ducks

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Coming back to me?

2008-08-26T12:52:00Z

From 2000-06 Marcus Trescothick played 76 tests for England.

He, conveniently, stepped out of the 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia by citing excuses ranging from stress to overwork.

The fact, though, was something entirely different.

Trescothick, I firmly believe, and many cricket enthusiasts agree with, was scared to play Ashes in Australia. Especially, when he knew the Aussies were vying for the English blood to revenge their 2005 Ashes defeat.

After two years of England’s rout at the hands of Aussies, Trescothick has come out with his autobiography “Coming Back To Me”.

Trescothick has surely ensured a warm welcome for his book by “revealing” that he used Murray Mint to shine the ball in the 2005 Ashes series. The mint-laced saliva, when applied to the ball, preserved its shine for long, giving it a sharper swing.

The controversy kicked off by Trescothick’s revelation may help its sales.

But it will do no good to his former team mates, most of whom are still in Test cricket.

No one knows whether ball tampering had the consent of Trescothick’s skipper, or it was a solo act, or whether of Trescothick’s team mates has any knowledge of the cheating.

2005 Ashes was a series England is, and will always be, proud of. This is why it had acquired the title of Flintoff’s Ashes, just like the famous Botham’s Ashes of 1981.

Has he taken the sheen off Flintoff's Ashes?

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Is the "Wall" slowly crumbling?

2008-08-21T12:41:00Z

Rahul Dravid's cricketing career has come a full circle: he made his debut in Lords, England in 1996, and for many, cricket's Mecca also marked the beginning of the end of an illustrious innings, when he captained India in the 2007 England tour. The Wall scored the only one fifty in the 2007 England tour after which he resigned from the captaincy.

He was averaging 58.76 in the series against West Indies. This was the golden period for Dravid. He scored crucial 68 runs in the second innings of the fourth test of the series and was instrumental in India's 1-0 series victory. Dravid was Man of the series.

Since then, his average has plummeted with each series. Whether it was Pakistan in India, India in Australia, South Africa in India. Finally, in the just-concluded series in Sri Lanka, Dravid's average slid from a healthy 58.76 to 53.93. The only saving grace was his 111 against South Africa in the first test at Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. But even then, Sehwag's triple hundred was the talking point.

Dravid's contribution to Indian cricket can never be questioned. I might understate something when it comes to Dravid. There was a passion and purpose from everything he did—from captaining the team to the time when he was the makeshift wicket-keeper to all the times when the team management kept changing his batting order. May be, he didn't excel in everything he did, but the attitude and the commitment that he carried to the pitch was unquestionable. His not being a hyperbole might have worked against him. Today, and for the sake of all his fans, Rahul Dravid looks like a wounded tiger, wanting to do another kill, his mind willing but the flesh not permitting.

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Another NO-BALL?

2008-08-18T07:52:00Z

It is in human nature. Talk of taming a raging bull, and we don't mind playing the patience card, waiting for the beast to tire and die a natural death. Now, at one level, wise people say it's the best policy.

I beg to differ, even if it is at the risk of being ousted from this rapidly swelling wise men's club. I say, avoiding controversies may stand you in good stead only at a personal level. As we go higher, you should know when to strike and close the deal.

Now take the latest split in cricket's governing body over ICC's flip-flop over the Champions Trophy venue in Pakistan. If we were to refresh our memories even marginally, it is clear that countries like Australia, England and South Africa have always had reservations about touring Pakistan. Remember, this is not a new problem, but one that has been simmering for a very long time. So why did you, at the first place, even think of an all-nation tournament in Pakistan? And now that you have fixed the venue, why stoke more fire by thinking of changing it?

On the face of it, there is a simple solution: if two teams refuse to play in Pakistan, you can easily fill in the vacant spots by inviting Bangladesh and Ireland, ranked 9th and 10th one-day international teams respectively, to the party. But can you imagine what a loss it would be for the fans? Of course, we are not even talking here of the huge compensation package the International Cricket Council needs to dish out to ESPN Star Sports (ESS) in the event of a change in venue.

And all this, just because the ICC didn't have the courage to tame the bull when they realised it could go out of control. Avoid confrontation, by all means, but not at the cost of millions of fans across the cricketing world.

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Spare Sachin

2008-08-13T11:44:00Z

India's fabulous four never fired in Lanka, and, arguably, we lost the Idea Cup Test series because of a strong-on-paper-but-weak-on-form middle order. Now, understandably, its time for some heads to roll.

But, I am not sure if it will happen any time soon. Why? Because this is also time for a change in the selectors: we expect to have a new team there as well after the second Test of the home series against Australia. Do you think the new men in that team would have the heart (read guts) to effect such a drastic change. I doubt it. Taht said, it would indeed be interesting to see the next Test team selection.

And while we are talking of the Indian middle order, let's spare a thought for Sachin Tendulkar. On the cusp of a record, Tendulkar comes back home with the lowest average between the four. Not surprisingly, those who say that he should be the one to be axed first, have only got more ammunition after this series. But one bad series and do we forget all about his contribution to the cause of Indian cricket? Remember, in the 2007-08 Pakistan and Australian series, Tendulkar averaged a whopping 69.50 and 70.83 in two and four Tests respectively.

Just for the record In a career spanning 57 Test series,

- Sachin has not scored a 50 or a century only on three occasions.*

- He has scored 31 centuries in these 57 series.

- He has averaged more than 50 in a Test series 28 times.

- He has averaged more than 100 seven times.

- In the only three 5 match test series he has played in his carreer, two against West Indies in West Indies and one against Australia in Australia, he averaged above 40.

*In a three match test series

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Time to hang boots?

2008-08-07T13:59:00Z

With both Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly out of the Indian team for the ODI series in Sri Lanka, I am afraid the two veterans of more than 600 one-dayers between them, may not after all get a chance to announce their retirement. Bowing out in style, as they say, may not really be meant for them.

But then, they don’t have anything to write back home from their last 10 ODIs. Take this. Rahul has scored a paltry 136 runs, and Saurav fares slightly better with 284 runs.

But my point is, should these icons be given a chance to plan their retirement? Can we, as a team, afford to continue to give them ‘chances’, taking away precious time from youngsters in the wing. We have a good example in Javagal Srinath, who had to wait for almost two years for Kapil Dev to retire. Should Dravid and Ganguly understand the circumstances and make way, gracefully.

I know it is difficult, but such are the demands of modern-day cricket. I would surely want to stand and salute Sachin Tendulkar when he plays his last ODI/Test innings.

There have been a lot of talk about Virender Sehwag’s last 11 hundred plus scores: all of them were over 150. And I guess most of us thought that when Sehwag scored, India invariably managed a win. No, it was not always like that.

Out of 15 Tests in which Sehwag scored a hundred, India managed to win only three. Nine of these have been draws. Even out of the three matches India won, Sehwag’s 201 against Sri Lanka at Galle stands out for number of reasons. Gautam Gambhir’s 74 was the next best score of the innings. Even the best players struggled on the pitch that assisted the spinners all through the match.

Sehwag’s score stands out because never in the marathon knock did he let the strike rate go down. Sehwag carried on, despite wickets tumbling at the other end.

Sehwag’s form will be crucial for India’s series victory.

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