Sehwag should be axed in all formats.

[bharat297]

How about the right to bat in the middle order because: a) it is his natural position and b) The right earned on the weight of 8000+ runs at 50+ average in an unnatural position ! Next, the whole idea of Sehwag's attitude being 'toxic' is total nonsense. Ranatunga was not a big fitness guru or keen worker either, nor were Ganguly or Laxman. So the whole argument of Sehwag's lack of athleticism and his lack of desire to trim up or put the hard work fielding, is irrelevant for the most part. Yes, you cannot carry a team of Sehwags in the field but one or two can be easily hidden, especially when one is a specialist slipper. Batting in middle order is easier than opening. That is why openers have historically had lower average than middle order bats and the batting records are hogged in almost all categories by middle order bats. You also have a far greater proportion of middle order bats who have 50+ average than openers and all this is not a coincidence. Besides, i wont bother dignifying Katich's analogy- we dont compare or contrast the trajectories and opportunities presented to an alltime great vs a mediocre alsoran. Secondly, Sehwag deserves to bat in the middle order because it is where he spends his first class career and the bulk of his years, ever since he was a kid. He wasn't supposed to be an opener in the first place, its not his fault that he did such a spectacular job that he because our best opener after Gavaskar. But the last this guy deserves, both in terms of common sense team management and player management, is to discover his form in the role suited to him optimally, which is to bat in the middle order.

He missed 3 chances in 1st slip this innings. He missed simple chances in the previous series as well. Yes Ranatunga and Ganguly weren't big fitness gurus but the game has changed since their era and you have to adapt to the modern game. His batting style of planting a solid base and just relying on his eye is clearly not working any more because naturally as you get older your reflexes slow down and your hand-eye coordination diminishes. His stubborness not to adapt his style can be attributed to laziness. Even greats like Tendulkar and Ponting had to modify their style as they got older but Sehwag persists with the same approach. The simple fact is he hasn't scored a century outside Asia since January 2008 (that too was on a flat Adelaide wicket). On a pitch with a bit of life in it against a moving ball he's going to struggle. So if they send him to South Africa, even in the middle order he's going to struggle because he persists with this approach of not using his feet and doesn't change his approach even when he's getting older and slower. No thanks! I'd rather they bring in a new batsman.

[Muloghonto]

He missed 3 chances in 1st slip this innings. He missed simple chances in the previous series as well. Yes Ranatunga and Ganguly weren't big fitness gurus but the game has changed since their era and you have to adapt to the modern game.

Nonsense. We are not talking about WWII cricket with today's cricket era, we are talking about cricket in the mid 90s to mid 2000s- hardly anything has changed and infact, the eras of Ganguly and Ranatunga were more demanding to play test cricekt in than today.

His batting style of planting a solid base and just relying on his eye is clearly not working any more because naturally as you get older your reflexes slow down and your hand-eye coordination diminishes. His stubborness not to adapt his style can be attributed to laziness. Even greats like Tendulkar and Ponting had to modify their style as they got older but Sehwag persists with the same approach.

If you think its due to lazyness, then you know nothing about cricket. Viv Richards declined in his 30s as well and they put him down the order. That worked out pretty good for the west indies. As you say, as you get older, your eyesight diminishes and it makes a difference. All the more reason to punt him down the order and let him be what he was trained to be - a middle order bat. There arnt any openers who succeeded in test cricket without the dour opener's technique in their 30s. Sehwag, Slater, Greenidge- they all declined in their later years.

The simple fact is he hasn't scored a century outside Asia since January 2008 (that too was on a flat Adelaide wicket). On a pitch with a bit of life in it against a moving ball he's going to struggle. So if they send him to South Africa, even in the middle order he's going to struggle because he persists with this approach of not using his feet and doesn't change his approach even when he's getting older and slower.

He has a century batting in the middle order in South Africa. The fact that if he batted at #5/6 would mean he doesnt have to face the new ball and can get his eye in before the new ball is due, would make a huge difference.

No thanks! I'd rather they bring in a new batsman.

only in India you will find a specialist middle order bat thrusted to open, succeed spectacularly and never given a chance in the middle order when the demands of opening in test cricket eventually gets too much for a middle order bat in their 30s. In saner countries, like Australia and South Africa, where the establishment is run by professionals, i garantee you, Sehwag would be batting in the middle order by now. But then again, you are an Indian, you think the solution is a new 21 year old who will go on and make 10K runs. Shambolic semi-professional administration with by far the least educated fanbase outside of Asia.

[bharat297]

Nonsense. We are not talking about WWII cricket with today's cricket era, we are talking about cricket in the mid 90s to mid 2000s- hardly anything has changed and infact, the eras of Ganguly and Ranatunga were more demanding to play test cricekt in than today. If you think its due to lazyness, then you know nothing about cricket. Viv Richards declined in his 30s as well and they put him down the order. That worked out pretty good for the west indies. As you say, as you get older, your eyesight diminishes and it makes a difference. All the more reason to punt him down the order and let him be what he was trained to be - a middle order bat. There arnt any openers who succeeded in test cricket without the dour opener's technique in their 30s. Sehwag, Slater, Greenidge- they all declined in their later years. He has a century batting in the middle order in South Africa. The fact that if he batted at #5/6 would mean he doesnt have to face the new ball and can get his eye in before the new ball is due, would make a huge difference. only in India you will find a specialist middle order bat thrusted to open, succeed spectacularly and never given a chance in the middle order when the demands of opening in test cricket eventually gets too much for a middle order bat in their 30s. In saner countries, like Australia and South Africa, where the establishment is run by professionals, i garantee you, Sehwag would be batting in the middle order by now. But then again, you are an Indian, you think the solution is a new 21 year old who will go on and make 10K runs. Shambolic semi-professional administration with by far the least educated fanbase outside of Asia.

LOL ... He was trained to be a middle order? What is he some sort of animal? Lol I don't think you actually know much about batting. Sehwag might improve slightly in the middle order BUT my point is he doesn't deserve it at the expense of up and coming middle order batsmen who are working much harder than he is and are not liabilities in the field. In the last 5 years, Sehwag outside the subcontinent has been an abysmal failure. * In England in the last 5 years he's averaged 10 * In Australia in the last 5 years he's averaged 25 * In South Africa in the last 5 years he's averaged 24 * In New Zealand in the last 5 years he's averaged 28 (New Zealand ffs!) In a Aus, Eng, or RSA, an opener who has this record away from home would have been dropped a long time ago. It's not like once he's in the middle order he's going to transform into Michael Clarke. Oh and what happens if we have a top order collapse and he has to face the new ball anyway? A very likely scenario against Steyn and Philander later this year. If you have poor technique and slow reaction time, you are a liability anywhere in the batting line up. We can't hide Sehwag in the field and in the batting line up as well.

[bharat297]

Also, how do you know a new 21 year old is not going to go an score 10K runs?

[panther]

sehwag is ATG :agree:

[CG]

LOL ... He was trained to be a middle order? What is he some sort of animal? Lol I don't think you actually know much about batting. Sehwag might improve slightly in the middle order BUT my point is he doesn't deserve it at the expense of up and coming middle order batsmen who are working much harder than he is and are not liabilities in the field. In the last 5 years, Sehwag outside the subcontinent has been an abysmal failure. * In England in the last 5 years he's averaged 10 * In Australia in the last 5 years he's averaged 25 * In South Africa in the last 5 years he's averaged 24 * In New Zealand in the last 5 years he's averaged 28 (New Zealand ffs!) In a Aus, Eng, or RSA, an opener who has this record away from home would have been dropped a long time ago. It's not like once he's in the middle order he's going to transform into Michael Clarke. Oh and what happens if we have a top order collapse and he has to face the new ball anyway? A very likely scenario against Steyn and Philander later this year. If you have poor technique and slow reaction time, you are a liability anywhere in the batting line up. We can't hide Sehwag in the field and in the batting line up as well.

To be fair to sehwag he was rushed back to england and played 2 matches.In southafrica he did score a fifty in the first test and scored important knocks in 2nd tests on a greentop in a low scoring match and did not play on the third test which was the best batting surface. Against nz he really threw it away.

[BeautifulGame]

Quite easily. At his best, he got the better of McGrath,Warne, Pollock, Akhtar and his record against quality bowling did not dip till the last couple of years. He is quite easily the second best indian opener ever and one of the top 10 test openers in the history of cricket.

He got the better of Pollock McGrath and Warne in India. His records in NZL and SA are joke. Nothing much to say about in England either. Fact is whenever the has swung he was found out. He is arguably the best player in sub continental conditions but u need better record and technique to be considered an all time great

[CG]

He got the better of Pollock McGrath and Warne in India. His records in NZL and SA are joke. Nothing much to say about in England either. Fact is whenever the has swung he was found out. He is arguably the best player in sub continental conditions but u need better record and technique to be considered an all time great

Actually he has a century in sa and he never played warne,mcgrath in aus not his fault. Most of our batsman were joke on that tour of nz where scores were extremly low.In southafrica he has had decent knocks.

[Crookbond]

To be fair to sehwag he was rushed back to england and played 2 matches.In southafrica he did score a fifty in the first test and scored important knocks in 2nd tests on a greentop in a low scoring match and did not play on the third test which was the best batting surface. Against nz he really threw it away.

Only Sehwag is responsible for that - he knows when to and when not to play.

[Trichromatic]

He got the better of Pollock McGrath and Warne in India. His records in NZL and SA are joke. Nothing much to say about in England either. Fact is whenever the has swung he was found out. He is arguably the best player in sub continental conditions but u need better record and technique to be considered an all time great

I guess I have already posted this before. Sehwag has played 36 tests outside Asia. First 18 tests Runs : 1428 Avg : 47.60 100s : 4 In SA : 49.66 In Eng : 39.50 In NZ : 10 In Aus : 54.70 In Zim : 51 In WI : 70.60 Next 18 tests Runs : 902 Avg : 25.77 100s : 1 In WI : 2 In Aus : 40.33 In SA : 19.41 In NZ : 28 In Eng : 10.45 Sehwag against pace and spin in Aus, Eng, NZ, SA till Jan 31, 2008 No code has to be inserted here. Sehwag against pace and spin in Aus, Eng, NZ, SA since Feb 1, 2008 No code has to be inserted here. He was doing well against pacers and swing for most part of his career. His record against spinners outside Asia is poor and after his downfall it has become poorer. His SR has increased though.

[Crookbond]

There is an elaborate Cricinfo article on Sehwag getting out to spinners outside SC. He has hardly faced any balls from spinners and has got out to them as well.

[Texan]

Some time away from the team will definitely be a boon for him. Right now, he just looks listless

[King Tendulkar]

He is done, so is bhaji. Why do they keep getting picked. Bonkers

[Number]

He was walking along the boundary lines today, looked so unfit and out of shape. Would make Inzi proud.

[bharat297]

I reckon get in Ambati Rayadu. I know he's not an opener but he's got a good technique and has got the destructive power of Sehwag. Partner Rayadu with more orthodox opener like Rahane or Jiwanjot and I think that's the way forward for India. I guess Vijay should get a decent run but I have question marks over his temperament.

[India-KXIP fan]

I guess I have already posted this before. Sehwag has played 36 tests outside Asia. First 18 tests Runs : 1428 Avg : 47.60 100s : 4 In SA : 49.66 In Eng : 39.50 In NZ : 10 In Aus : 54.70 In Zim : 51 In WI : 70.60 Next 18 tests Runs : 902 Avg : 25.77 100s : 1 In WI : 2 In Aus : 40.33 In SA : 19.41 In NZ : 28 In Eng : 10.45 Sehwag against pace and spin in Aus, Eng, NZ, SA till Jan 31, 2008 No code has to be inserted here. Sehwag against pace and spin in Aus, Eng, NZ, SA since Feb 1, 2008 No code has to be inserted here. He was doing well against pacers and swing for most part of his career. His record against spinners outside Asia is poor and after his downfall it has become poorer. His SR has increased though.

Pretty good in the first 18. Surprised at averages against pace and spin.

[debachat]

He has been ordinary. Very ordinary for a very long time. Yes - when on song he can be difference between a win and a draw but he has not been on song for a long time and cannot justify his inclusion based on his pre-historic records.

[GoldenSun]

Once he was treated like a King and now he is reduced to a beggar. The utmost thing that makes me detest Sehwag so much is his arrogance and idiocy. All he does is try the same **** over and over again, which is play attacking midair shots from the get go. He does not learn from his mistakes and has become a walking wicket. I do not see him doing anything against SA next year. His away record will always be a dark mark on his career.

[King Tendulkar]

Finally axed. Correct decison. Great player but his time is up

[saneindian]

Wonder if this is the end of his international career.