Sehwag's great form fuels India's success

Sanjay Rajan

India's dominance in test cricket this year has coincided with Virender Sehwag's run of excellent form after the explosive opener staged a spectacular comeback in January.

Sehwag has racked up 1,445 runs in 13 tests so far this year, smashing test cricket's quickest triple century against South Africa and a double hundred of rare quality against Sri Lanka's mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis.

The 30-year-old batsman hit six fifties and raised century partnerships for the first wicket on five occasions as India won six tests and drew four others during the period.

The Delhi right-hander set up India's thrilling six-wicket victory in the first test against England this week with a racy 83 as the hosts recorded the fourth-highest run chase in test cricket.

"He set it up brilliantly. How many players in the world can do that?" centurion Sachin Tendulkar said at a news conference after guiding India to the most unlikely of wins having been set 387.

"Very few people in the world can do what he does and we're extremely happy that he plays for India."

Sehwag's rich vein of form has already placed him seventh in the all-time list for most runs in a calendar year and he has the final test against England, which was starting on Friday in Mohali, to improve on his position.

VICE-CAPTAIN

Sehwag was picked for the Australia tour last December at the insistence of then captain Anil Kumble following injury to Gautam Gambhir even though he was not named in the initial list of probables due to an extended poor run.

Since his return, however, Sehwag, whose strengths lie in hand-eye co-ordination and an uncomplicated technique, has blazed away in both test and one-day cricket and was last month reinstated as test vice-captain.

One of the hardest strikers of the cricket ball, Sehwag made a quick 29 and 43 and chipped in with two wickets with his fast-improving off-spin in his comeback game as India recorded their first-ever win at Perth in the third test.

The 'Nawab of Najafgarh' hit 63 and a classy 151 in the final test in Adelaide to help India save the test, a change in approach coming through the innings. It was his first century in the second innings.

"In Adelaide I had played a full session without scoring a boundary and saved the game for India. I can change my game (according) to conditions," he told a news conference last week.

Sehwag became only the third batsman after Australia's Don Bradman and West Indian Brian Lara to score two test triple centuries when he lashed 319 against South Africa in the drawn first test in Chennai.

It was the highest test score by an Indian, bettering his previous best of 309 against Pakistan in March 2004.

DOUBLE CENTURY

In the following series he smashed the third double century (201 not out) of his career and 50 in the second innings to help India win the second test at Galle. The hosts won the final test to win the series.

Sehwag hit 35 and 90 in Mohali and 66 and 92 in Nagpur in the two tests that India won to hand top-ranked Australia their first series defeat in November since the 2005 Ashes tour of England. His form has also helped to ease the pressure on India following struggling Rahul Dravid's poor run in that period.

"The credit largely goes to our coach Gary Kirsten," Sehwag said of the former South Africa opener who succeeded Australian Greg Chappell in March this year. "He never tried to change my style of play. Instead, he has encouraged me and backed my game. He has told me not to compromise on my natural game," he told Mumbai daily DNA this week. "When you have such backing from the coach, the captain and the team management, your confidence goes up."

MUMBAI, Friday, Reuters