BOMBAY, 8 April 2005 — Those who have been following the India-Pakistan cricket series intimately, in the sense, commentating, writing or offering occasional expert views, are several former Pakistani players.
The veritable “who’s who” list includes no less than half-a-dozen ex-captains, Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Aamer Sohail, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. They are either engaged by television channels or leading newspapers to write regular columns. If one goes by their comments and their views, Sachin Tendulkar is gradually yielding place to Virendra Sehwag in the popularity parade of players on both sides. The dashing opener, who at one time was described as a clone of the Bombay master blaster is today a superstar in his own right. His commercial evaluation as a model is behind only Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan and today he commands fees equivalent to these Bollywood top-notchers.
What has made Sehwag, popularly known as “Viru” click the way he has. It is not just the number of runs that he gets on regular basis. Rahul Dravid gets as many. But it is his simple style of batting which is uncomplicated and which, for most, does not conform to any coaching manual.
When Sehwag first came on the scene, he used to bat in the lower middle order. He used to come up with some highly entertaining small cameos within the limited overs that he got to play. It was only when Ganguly decided not to open the innings in the one-dayers with Tendulkar that he was promoted as an opener. The manner in which he exploited the field restrictions in the first 15 overs led to his tremendous success as an opener. Then, it was Tendulkar who suggested that Viru should also be tried as an opener in Test matches. Sehwag had his lean patches, just as most top cricketers have, but he was made different, in that he just did not allow his failures to weigh him down mentally and seek safer options. He continued to be his own dashing self, whatever the situation.
When his batting style and technique were analyzed by several experts, there was one common view and that was that he did not have proper footwork. “He just does not move his feet,” was a common comment of former players like Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri. Ian Chappell even predicted that Sehwag would soon be found to be a suspect against fast bowling and especially the short stuff.
He proved all of them wrong. The same experts are now accepting the fact that Sehwag has his own unique style of batting. Shastri and Rameez Raja have reconciled themselves to the fact that the Delhi batsman has evolved his own technique. “Even without moving his feet, he gets into excellent position to play some daring strokes. It is the result of his rare hand-eye co-ordination with which only a very few batsmen are gifted.
Imran Khan said: “He is a law unto himself. But when he bats, he provides such wholesome entertainment.”
Present Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq has all the more reason to take note of this genius. His team has had the greatest impact on its fortune since he visited Pakistan last year. He became the first Indian batsman to score a triple century. He hasn’t looked back since that great knock at Multan.
Whether it is sheer pace or the moving ball and come the spinners, Sehwag knows only one way to bat. That is in his usual attacking vein. He plays the square cut or the cover-drive with such power and timing that the field is left standing. His flicks to midwicket have similar telling effect. When he is at the crease, there is never a dull moment.
The last word on Sehwag’s rare qualities of batsmanship was had by Zaheer Abbas, himself a prolific scorer in his time. “ When he is batting, I forget that it is an important clash between India and Pakistan, I just sit back and allow myself to enjoy his superlative stroke-play.”
The dazzler has today added such tremendous consistency to his high-scoring ability that he has become, along with Dravid a veritable match-winner for India. His dominance helps the team make light of the occasional failures of men like Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman. With all his achievements, the young man is so modest and of very simple disposition.
