Virender Sehwag - Nawab of Najafgarh - flamboyant, charismatic, happy-go-lucky, these are the adjectives that can be used to describe him as a person! But how would you describe his batting - ruthless, high-octane-edge-of-the-seat thrill, nerve wracking tension for every moment he stays at the crease! That then is the man who always keeps you glued to the television irrespective of a Test match, ODI, or a T20.
First we have to understand the method behind the madness of it all, There is no subtlety involved here, only slam-bang, No half measures, only ruthelessness, While he may not have the technical solidity of a Dravid, the flair and grace of a Laxman, the lazy elegance of a Ganguly, the stroke making wonders of a Tendulkar, Sehwag, more than makes it up with his tremendous hand-eye coordination. The sheer nonchalance with which he decimates the opposition attacks is a sight to behold. Since his transition to the opening slot, he has performed incredibly well against all opposition.
When he first started his international career there were comparisons made with Tendulkar. To be fair the comparisons didn’t seem out of place, since both were of the same height, had the same build, both were wonderful stroke makers capable of tearing any opposition apart on their day. Sehwag too said that he idolized the little master and had modeled his game after Sachin. In fact, when we watch the two bat in tandem it is sometimes hard to distinguish between the two. But any comparisons with Sachin would be unfair to the Nawab of Najafgarh for he has consciously tried to create his own brand of attacking batsmanship and also carved a niche for himself in the process.
To study Sehwag’s batting is not easy, He may not be a purist’s delight, does not play in the ‘V’. He has his own array of shots that leaves bowlers praying for help. But he is mighty effective, has long powers of concentration, converts those hundreds into really big knocks (all of his last Test hundreds have all been 150 plus scores). He is a player who doesn’t hesitate to dominate from the word go, which invariably takes the pressure of the Fab Four. Also his favorite shot is the murderous upper cut over third-man (remember the first ball six of Waqar Younis in the 2003 World cup?). Ironically this shot has got him out quite a few times in one day cricket where he has fallen to the trap once too often for his liking. but this shot does fetch him a lot of runs in the vacant third man region in Test cricket.
Also the sheer nonchalance that he exudes at the crease, He once cheekily said to a reporter “main sirf ball ko dekh tha hoon aur martha hoon” when quizzed about the aura of the bowler he was facing. Another facet of his is the ability to wear the shine of the new ball & score quickly as well which makes him a potent opening batsman of his generation.
Ever since the legendary Sunil Gavaskar left the scene there has been a huge vacuum in that slot. Many have come and gone but none have been like Sehwag, who, like a whiff of fresh air just butchered his way to the top. It would be fair to say that right now. He is the premier opening batsmen in Test cricket along with Matty Hayden and Graeme Smith.
The way he tears apart the bowling is a rare spectacle, the rasping cuts, the scorching drives, the cheeky paddles, the mighty slog sweeps all dot his arsenal. He also knows how to control an innings beautifully (proof being his 2nd innings at Adelaide 2008) which sets it up for the bowlers to win matches. At a time when fitness is the new mantra we see a cheerful bald Sehwag, who also has a slight paunch excelling in his field in spite of not working out as religiously as his peers do, which also reflects in his happy state of mind, who is always armed with a smile on his face, doesn’t get flustered or fazed & most importantly his mind is clutter free.
To be able to take risks is one thing but to do it consistently and to pull it off & that too in the nineties is the indication of a genius in the making. While many would be happy taking the easier route to their landmarks (most often they get out in the process). Here, we have a man hitting sixes at will to reach the landmark in style. While his penchant for risk taking might have cost him his wicket on a couple of occasions like the instance when he got out for 195 against the Aussies at the MCG, he believes in the adage either “You live by the sword or die by it”. Also he does invoke a sense of awe and fear in the minds of the bowlers when they run-up to bowl to him.
In fact, his career has not been a bed of roses all the way. There have been some blips like when he was dropped from the team after the Bangladesh series. Also critics point out that he performs only in the first innings of a test match, a fact substantiated by their claims which points to his average which dips remarkably from 67 in the first to 25 in the second. Also 13 of his 15 Test hundreds have come in the first essay which suggests he is a player who excels only when the conditions are good, which exactly is not the case always like the match saving innings he played in the second innings of the recent Adelaide Test against the Aussies. That innings showed how much he has matured from the swash buckler to the savior. It also showed that he can quickly adapt to the situation and change his game when his team needed the most.
It would be only fair to say that he is in the prime of his career and hopefully he can translate some of his Test match form to the shorter versions of the game as well which many think are his strong points. We all have been privileged to see his performances and hope he continues to light up the millions of Indians with his dazzling batting for the rest of his career. Until then savior and enjoy every moment of his batting which leaves many speechless and the opposition bowlers dumb!
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