Sehwag : Searching for sweet spot

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More... Searching for sweet spot Amol Karhadkar, Hindustan Times Ahmedabad, December 03, 2011 Whether he scores 13 or 133, Virender Sehwag generally tends to middle most of the balls. Rarely does he have an off day as far as meeting the ball on the meat of the bat is concerned. But the second ODI against the West Indies was one such day when all he played turned to dust during India's five-wicket victory at Visakhapatnam on Friday. It won't be an overstatement to say that Sehwag has never looked so uncomfortable, at least while playing in an ODI at home, as he did during his 35-ball stint at the YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. Even two dropped catches and a 44-minute rain intervention could not help Sehwag get his timing right. And he was also in trouble against rising deliveries, with one from Ravi Rampaul hitting him on the helmet. The dazzling batsman was the first to admit it wasn't his day. "I wasn't even connecting (the ball). Everything was going towards third-man. All the three boundaries I hit went over slips," said Sehwag. "It happens. Some days, you are trying to work hard and you get only edges." Aussie challenge Sehwag wasn't concerned about his form. "My batting is natural and I am not worried about myself because sometimes you start hitting from the first ball, sometimes you take time." Although he was not concerned, the India dressing room could be a touch worried as the tough Australia tour and bouncy pitches loom large. After all, since the World Cup high, he has attracted more headlines for injuries. He aggravated a right shoulder injury suffered in the World Cup by playing in the IPL and had to miss the West Indies tour following surgery in London. After India made a disastrous start, Sehwag was rushed to England. But he had not fully recovered, and also suffered an ear infection, forcing him to return after failing in the last two Tests. His record with the bat while leading the side will add to the management's fears that the vital cog in the team may leave for the crucial tour without runs under his belt. In the nine ODIs Sehwag has led India, he has scored just 198 runs, at a mediocre average of 22. But being the self-assured and positive person that he is, Sehwag was hoping for a turnaround in Ahmedabad on Monday when India look to seal the series against West Indies. "When I go to Ahmedabad, maybe it will be my day," he said. "It's a different ground, different atmosphere and different day. "I think I'll be fine." thunderdownunder Australia have found a new crop of fast and fierce pacemen. Sehwag will need to be at the top of his game to counter their challenge. PATRICK CUMMINS (18) Height 192cm Speed 150 M W Best SR 4 16 6/79 67.5 (First Class) The teenager from New South Wales is touted at the next big thing in fast bowling. He just had a sensational debut in S Africa. MITCHELL STARC (21) Height 196cm Speed 140kmph plus M W Best SR 17 49 5/66 55.5 (First Class) As a tall left-armer, he has impressed with his speed, swing and bounce. His ability to swing it back into right-handers is lethal. BEN CUTTING (24) Height 192cm Speed 150 M W Best SR 21 84 6/37 46.5 (First Class) Generates steep bounce and has two types of bouncers. Throw in his express speed, and he becomes more than a handful. JAMES PATTINSON (21) Height 191cm Speed 145kmph plus M W Best SR 9 32 4/52 57.1 (First Class) The right-arm bowler can swing the ball away from right-handers at high speed. This is good enough to trouble even the best. Apart from the rookies, Australia will have experienced bowlers like Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris to choose from. With these two around, India will have a more than handful attack to cope with.

[bulbul]

Sehwags ODI batting is always inferior compare to his Test batting...

[rkt.india]

Cutting speed 150:dontknow:..only around 140...

[bulbul]

Cutting speed 150:dontknow:..only around 140...

:hysterical: take some rest :two_thumbs_up:

[saneindian]

Unless Sehwag loses some weight,, will be difficult for him to reach the highs again. His best knocks have come when he has looked a lot more fitter. Compared to the last Aus tour, he looks 10 kgs heavier these days. :((

[rkt.india]

Unless Sehwag loses some weight,, will be difficult for him to reach the highs again. His best knocks have come when he has looked a lot more fitter. Compared to the last Aus tour, he looks 10 kgs heavier these days. :((

I tell you Sehwag's problem. He is playing very premeditated and trying to hit every ball through off side point or behind point. This never works. He does not play any on side shots any more on the ball which other batsmen would hit for 4. He gets troubled on those balls now.

[Chandan]

Very concerned about Sehwag. With Gambhir too out of form, are we going to have the same situation in Australia too that we faced in England?

[saneindian]

Sehwag's batting as a captain Sehwag's batting when playing as a captain has been disappointing in this series. I chedcked how he has performed with the bat as a captain in both first class and list A matches (which includes tests and odis). As a captain in: First Class matches - 15 matches, 717 runs@26, top score of 106, 1 100 and 3 50s The scores read 9*,33, 15, 79, 16, 20, 0, 15, 0, 56, 18, 106, 16, 0, 9, 32, 9, 0, 37, 43, 3, 17, 32, 34, 22, 52, 45 http://cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/player_oracle_reveals_results1.cgi List A matches - 23 matches, 581 runs@26, top score of 81, 4 50s, No 100s The scores read 43, 32, 27, 51, 0, 9, 26, 22, 4, 18, 11, 0, 54, 9, 75, 1, 81, 18, 44, 10, 20, 26, 0 http://cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/player_oracle_reveals_results1.cgi Clearly, he struggles with the bat when he is leading the side. Maybe leadership just clutters his mind and holds him back. Is there a message hidden in these numbers that Sehwag should not captain the national side anymore?

[vvvslaxman]

Probably. Gauti should have been leading from the outset. Why are they playing musical chair with captaincy. I know Gauti led INdia to 5-0 win against NZ in a ODI series. I thought he was always going to be our choice. Raina led us for a while. Who is next? Kohli?

[Texan]

Sehwag should now give a press conference in which he admonishes himself and Gambhir alone for their poor form instead of blaming anyone else. Their batting of late has been horrendous.

[Sid]

As if he is a great ODI batsman when not captaining.To me Sehwag hasnt achieved half of what he could have done by now as an ODI batsman. As for captaincy,I never thought he was a good captain.Like his batting he is sometimes way to attacking as a captain.Still remember his captaincy from day 1 Napier test 2009,one of the most pathetic displays of captaincy I have seen. Gauti would have been best choice but our selectors have made it clear that Gauti captained last year only because Veeru wasnt playing and they dont have any long term plans for our next captain or vice captain.

[ganeshran]

I dont think Sehwag is the kind of guy who would give too much thought into captaincy to get bogged down by it. His dismissals are more down to poor form. He will go after anything outside the offstump no matter what the match situation is. When i fine nick, he connects but when not in the best of form takes an edge and carries to slip or keeper. As long as we have a stable middle order, he has the license to go for his shots. The problem currently is with Gauti's poor form and rookie middle order which is prone to collapse

[jonas10]

Sehwag downright sucks as a captain.

[Number]

Those who gave him captaincy deserve highest prize of foolishness. A stabilizer opener with him + solid no. 3 give him freedom to play his natural game. With Sachin not being there and a half-serious Gambhir he ain't getting any of these.

[carnish]

Sehwag should not be the captain plus gambhir should open... these guys should remember that a talented rahane is warming the benches when these guys are sucking the team to misery match after match

[The Realist]

The wider question which needs asking is that is this the start of Sehwag's decline. He relies massively on timing and hand-eye coordiation and that inevitably starts to go as you get older. His scores over the past year in all formats have not been great. Been a wonderful player but if he fails in Aus then the questions that have not yet been asked will have to be.

[carnish]

The wider question which needs asking is this the start of Sehwag's decline. He relies massively on timing and hand-eye coordiation and that inevitably starts to go as get older. His scores over the past year in all formats have not been great. Been a wonderful player but if he fails in Aus then the questions that have not yet been asked will have to be.

true enough i hope he has to score or else he should be shown the door again as was done once before... guess he needs to play in domestic games and regain his form or he might be a burden for the side in australia

[Viki_J]

just hoping he scores well in next match go veeeru :cheer: :cheer:

[Manny_Pacquiao]

he has gone back to being an average ODI batsman.