Virender Sehwag - clutch player?

[BacktoCricaddict]

A great batsman, no doubt and #1 pick to open in an all-time India test team with the great SMG.  Played blistering cricket, killed reputations and changed the way we think of opening batting.  

 

I just can't seem to remember when he played a "brave knock" in adversity or one that brought the team into a winning or match-saving positions against all odds.  It is a tough ask for an opener, but given the way he played the game, it is not out of the question.

 

Why do I ask?  In my mind, Pant has surpassed all Indian bats ever in "clutchiness" within a span of 2.5 months, for the sheer magnitude of the impact he has made on the team's fortunes.  His batting is being compared to Sehwag.  With my terrible old-guy memory, I tend to have recency bias, so I don't want to discount Sehwag's contributions.

  

[Trichromatic]

Being brave and aggressive works with skills only.

[Vijy]

9 minutes ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

A great batsman, no doubt and #1 pick to open in an all-time India test team with the great SMG.  Played blistering cricket, killed reputations and changed the way we think of opening batting.  

 

I just can't seem to remember when he played a "brave knock" in adversity or one that brought the team into a winning or match-saving positions against all odds.  It is a tough ask for an opener, but given the way he played the game, it is not out of the question.

 

Why do I ask?  In my mind, Pant has surpassed all Indian bats ever in "clutchiness" within a span of 2.5 months, for the sheer magnitude of the impact he has made on the team's fortunes.  His batting is being compared to Sehwag.  With my terrible old-guy memory, I tend to have recency bias, so I don't want to discount Sehwag's contributions.

  

sehwag's 160 in adelaide and that 200 against rampaging mendis-murali (at that moment in time, best 2 spinners in home conditions) were both made in crisis times, esp the 200

[chewy]

Top of my head, vs England chasing 380 something with 4 sessions and vs novelty of Ajantha Mendis, when every single batsmen in the world was getting flummoxed by Mendis, Sehwag RIP apart his mystery 

[King6]

Yes. 

[BacktoCricaddict]

6 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

Being brave and aggressive works with skills only.

True.  He had sublime skills.  

 

If someone asked about clutch knocks from Pant or Sundar or VVS Laxman, I can reel them off in a minute.  But, what about Sehwag?  I can't remember any, but with my terrible memory, it is quite possible that I just don't remember.  I remember his 300s, but don't recall the conditions or the state of the matches etc.  

 

Maybe Pant's knocks seem much more memorable because of the inept top order putting the team in such deep holes for him to come in and rescue.  

[R!TTER]

11 minutes ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

winning or match-saving positions against all odds. 

Adelaide 2008, Galle(?) 2008, you could argue Chennai 2004, Bangalore 2005 - before GG ran him out, Mumbai 2009 etc. And before you bring out other factors - Oz was the no.1 team (2008) at that time & higher ever test rating at 143 just 2 tests back! 2004 - they were even better & only Sehwag took the attack to their bowlers in that series, yes he was unlucky at least a couple of occasions with shithouse umpiring by Billy *ing Bowden! 2008 SL vs peak Mendis & near peak Murali - need I say more? 2005 - again we were chasing that total till he was run out by GG. 2009 was probably the easiest innings but there was always scoreboard pressure there & that track was not as easy as he made it look like.

[ShoonyaSifar]

From memory

100 vs SA in 2001

100 in England in 2002

195 at MCG in 2003-04

155 vs Aus at Chennai in 2004-05

201 at Bangalore vs Pakistan in 2005

309 at Multan in 2004, 90 at Lahore in the same series

151* at Adelaide on his comeback in 2008

87 vs Eng at Chennai

319 vs SA facing 600+ from SA

201* at Galle

 

Each was as clutch as they come. In fact every 50+ score either set up the match for us or took us out of a hole

 

[Majestic]

Chennai 2008 straight comes to my mind. It was similar to kind of knock that Pant played in Sydney test, he gave India a chance to win but unfortunately due to injuries of Jadeja and Vihari, we went for a draw.

[sage]

Galle 2008 was one of the best knocks in test cricket period terrible thread

[Trichromatic]

18 minutes ago, Cricspin said:

Too much of this clutch thing going on these days. Middle  order gets to play these more often as a team is in trouble because top order had failed..When top order fires you don't need to be rescued or rather the sense of pressure is not there.

 

Sehwag setup games and put the team in great positions. When he got going the opposition is under the pump and needs the clutch players against the odds not India. Each time Sehwag Scored 50 plus he was giving great starts. That is his contribution and legacy.

 

For example - this top order if they scored and secured leads for the team you won't need the clutch innings that you got from Pant, Sundar etc recently. Any runs added after first 5 wickets is gravy and not clutch.

 

He has contributed enough. Not even bringing in the entertainment aspect here.

 

 

Yeah, great teams are suppose to rely less on clutch knocks.

[Tattieboy]

What does this word clutch mean ? 

Jack Leitch is asking if his 1* was a clutch innings ? Lol

 

[Trichromatic]

27 minutes ago, Cricspin said:

 

 

I don't even understand that one liner and what context you are talking about. Are you saying great teams dont need as they are doing well already and have no need for the clutch knocks ? if so, then I see your point.

 

 

 

My point is that if team is looking to dominate and consistently successful, then clutch isn't the quality team should be looking for.

 

Great teams are suppose to dominate 80% of the time, not attempt coming out of bad situations.

 

Clutch performances are good once in a while, but it seems we are looking for those moments far too often. Reason is that team is not performing up to the mark.

 

When Australian team won 2003 WC, they had 3 clutch matches - v Pakistan (Symonds 144) v England (Bichel's performance), v NZ (Bevan - Bichel) out of 14 matches.

 

Rest of the time they simply dominated opposition. Even Pakistan's match was pure dominance after initial jolt. So basically they looked like losing the match twice.

 

Similary their test performances - I remember very few clutch performances. In fact I felt that whenever Aussies were being dominated by opposition, most of the time they lost. However Aussies made sure that it didn't more than once in a series and rarely happened in first 2 matches of series. Rest of the time they simply relied on being dominant throughout the match.

 

Reducing dependency on clutch performances is one of the sign of movement towards greatness.

[zen]

Yes! 

[coffee_rules]

You have a very nascent memory. There many such knocks where played blinders. Of all the ones listed above this one is my fav in Chennai. Chasing 387 in the 4th innings , still a record in India, he comes in blasts a 68 ball 83, in test cricket! Stitched a 117 run opening partnership with Gauti and laid the foundation . no wonder, IanC puts him above Tendulkar in ATG ness

 

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-india-2008-09-361035/india-vs-england-1st-test-361050/full-scorecard

[Laaloo]

What an idiotic thread.

[BacktoCricaddict]

27 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

You have a very nascent memory.

Believe me, I know.  

 

I think a big issue is that, for the first time, thanks to kids being grown up and work-from-home, I've had more chances to actually watch cricket intently.  Otherwise, I got most of my fix from ICF and checking scorecards.  Very few adrenaline-etched memories from the 2000s.      

[BacktoCricaddict]

29 minutes ago, Cricspin said:

When Sehwag comes in and smashes 100 runs in no time, no more clutch needed

Great point.  Pant's knocks become essential because the top order is so inept.  

[sandeep]

3 hours ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

just can't seem to remember when he played a "brave knock" in adversity or one that brought the team into a winning or match-saving positions against all odds.  It is a tough ask for an opener, but given the way he played the game, it is not out of the question.

Sehwag scored a clutch century in the 2008 Aus tour, saving a test match for India.  This innings is more notable for its defensive method, very un-veerulike.  

 

That's not the only 'clutch' innings in his career.  The 87 in the England chase is another - and breaking open big test series by successfully attacking and going big early in the series is also quite 'clutch'.  Going into Pakistan and smashing Saqlain into retirement, is clutch.

[putrevus]

Sehwag was never under pressure in any situation.That was both a blessing and curse for him.