Sehwag was toughest India batsman to bowl to: Mendis

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Ajantha Mendis says the swashbuckling right-hander is the only Indian batsman he found difficult to bowl to. More... Sehwag was toughest India batsman to bowl to: Mendis Agencies Posted online: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 at 1511 hrs IST New Delhi, September 3:: Virender Sehwag's technique or the lack of it often invites criticism but Sri Lankan mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis says the swashbuckling right-hander is the only Indian batsman he found difficult to bowl to in the recently-concluded Test and ODI series. "There was not much of a difference in bowling to most of the Indian batsmen. Their style was similar. But Virender Sehwag was the toughest to bowl to without doubt," Mendis, who picked up Indian wickets in heaps in both the Test and ODI series said. The Lankans won the Test series 2-1 but lost the ODI series 2-3 but Mendis said he found no difference in the batting style of the two Indian sides. He said the only reason why he failed to replicate his stupendous Test form in ODIs was the lesser number of overs he bowled in the shorter version of the game. "There wasn't really much of a difference between the two sides. It was more or less the same for me. My problem in one-dayers was that there were only 10 overs to bowl and it is very difficult to take wickets in that limited time," he said. Mendis, however, admitted that gradually the Indians and other international teams would learn to read him and he is prepared to cope with that. "As time has passed since I first bowled to them this team which is one of the best in the world is beginning to understand me. Also other teams must be trying to understand my bowling.” "But I know that as long as I do the correct thing I will take wickets. If I can't then I will change my style," he said. Mendis he has grown in confidence after the series against India during which he got prized scalps of likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. "I feel very happy to be bowling to the best batsmen in the world. After bowling to Tendulkar, (Sourav) Ganguly, Dravid, (VVS) Laxman and (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni how can I not be confident? If I can take their wicket, then I can take anyone's wicket in the world," he said. On how he planned Tendulkar's dismissal, Mendis said, "I had been learning about the batting styles of the Indian batsmen for some time. I understood Tendulkar's batting style and understood his weakness. That's how I took his wicket." Asked whether Dhoni was the other tough customer after Sehwag, Mendis said, "I think he batted very well against me. When I put the ball in the right area he defended me." "But the moment I put the ball outside that area he punished me. It was an interesting cat and mouse game. That's why he succeeded more than anyone else against me," he added. Mendis is now aiming to do well against World Champions Australia. "No special batsman as such but I want to bowl to the Australians. They have some great batsmen in their ranks and I am waiting to bowl at them," he said.

[WeStMiDz]

Nice article. I think most people will be keeping a close eye on SL's future series' just to see how Mendis carries on. I, for one, hope he continues to bamboozle international batsmen around the world until he faces India again of course...:winky:

[DomainK]

I am very keen on watching his this guy's temperament develops. So far in his interviews he has sounded sensible. He has been respectful to batsmen while keeping himself at a respectable position.

[DadaRocks]

Nice article. I think most people will be keeping a close eye on SL's future series' just to see how Mendis carries on. I, for one, hope he continues to bamboozle international batsmen around the world until he faces India again of course...:winky:

westmidz....from TMS...:two_thumbs_up:

[WeStMiDz]

westmidz....from TMS...:two_thumbs_up:

Yehh :D, you too?

[DadaRocks]

Yehh :D' date=' you too?[/quote'] ya:hatsoff:

[Chaos]

cant see his pwning pakis and aussies. Once in a lifetime bowler with this much talent...

[DadaRocks]

Rana & Asif must be going 'Whaaaaaat':hysterical::haha::cantstop:

[Chaos]

Rana & Asif must be going 'Whaaaaaat':hysterical::haha::cantstop:

haha what? sehwag pwned them both :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[Laaloo]

Rana & Asif must be going 'Whaaaaaat':hysterical::haha::cantstop:

Ones in county, the other one well.. oh good times good times

[Desi Cartman]

Asif :hysterical:

[Dravid]

:hysterical::hysterical:

[flamy]

:haha::haha::haha:

[Willow_on_fire]

Asif :hysterical:

good one...classic..:hysterical:

[DomainK]

Asif :hysterical:

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[Dinx - the Jinx]

i saw an interview of this lad yesterday on espn where was spkng in sinhalese with english translation in the background. he's very modest, much like murali... i wish him the best and am sure he's gonnu torment batsmen all around the world... as far as Asif :hysterical: by the way... after A test and B test, i think Asif wil spend the rest of his career giving samples of his urine for C Test, D Test... so on... but no cricket Test

[Dark Warrior]

Rana & Asif must be going 'Whaaaaaat':hysterical::haha::cantstop:

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hatsoff:

[guju24]

^:hysterical::hysterical:

[Holysmoke]

On how he planned Tendulkar's dismissal, Mendis said, "I had been learning about the batting styles of the Indian batsmen for some time. I understood Tendulkar's batting style and understood his weakness. That's how I took his wicket."

This is called digging your own grave. Btw, Tendulkar got out to Mendis once, in the last innings of the last test, where he was batting against medical advice. Way to go, Mendis.

[Dark Warrior]

^:hysterical::hysterical:

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: