vvvslaxman Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 I am sorry for being rude' date=' but only a dimwit Pakistani would compare Afridi and Sehwag. Sehwag has a test match average of 49+ with 80+ strike rate as an opener. He was one of a kind. No one in the history of the game has been that good. Yes he was not so successful in alien conditions but to compare him with a hack like Afridi is insane.[/quote'] Only probably at the highest level would appreciate that fact.Even in 25 over school cricket openers are meant to see off few overs, block balls. This guy on the contrary at the highest level of cricket had the audacity to dismantle bowlers from the get go (at the risk of permanently damaging his career). The sheer thought process of going after bowling in test being an opener is an alien concept for 99% of cricketers. It is not like he was a total flop there. He has a 100 in SA, England, OZ, WI. He is a genius. You can imitate the batting of pretty much anyone including, Richards, Lara, Tendulkar . But i don't know if you can imitate Viru. The way he dismantled Mendis where everyone was batting like deer caught in headlights was amazing to watch.
goose Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 Who can forget his SIXES to register 100, 200 and then 300 !!!! (or something like that). This feat will almost certainly go unmatched forever more. Another innings that does't get mentioned much was Adelaide 2008. The guy walked in with India staring at a 3-1 series defeat and strokes a 150 to salvage the draw. I must dig up that thread....
zep1706 Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 Only probably at the highest level would appreciate that fact.Even in 25 over school cricket openers are meant to see off few overs' date=' block balls. This guy on the contrary at the highest level of cricket had the audacity to dismantle bowlers from the get go (at the risk of permanently damaging his career). The sheer thought process of going after bowling in test being an opener is an alien concept for 99% of cricketers. It is not like he was a total flop there. He has a 100 in SA, England, OZ, WI. He is a genius. You can imitate the batting of pretty much anyone including, Richards, Lara, Tendulkar . But i don't know if you can imitate Viru. The way he dismantled Mendis where everyone was batting like deer caught in headlights was amazing to watch.[/quote'] He was an excellent player of spin, one of the best ever. He had an issue with swing due to his limited feet movement but to make things worse he also had to face the new ball. If he batted in the middle order (his original and preferred batting position), he probably would have had better averages in SA, NZ and Eng as well. He was one of the best impact players we have had, even his 30s and 40s were extremely valuable because he used put the opposition on the backfoot from the word go. There will never be another Sehwag.
Marut Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 IMO, Sehwag did not have intrinsic weakness against the moving ball. He had a problem with the ball that moved away, usually with the balls that were pitched on the offstump corridor. His problem was not with those kinds of balls per se, but Sehwag had the tendency to go for his favourite cut shots to these deliveries. Most batsmen especially openers leave these balls alone, especially when the ball is new. But not Sehwag. Some times this resulted in edges and caught behinds. Sehwag had very little weakness for the ball that moved into him - Sehwag was bowled or LBW very few times in his test career (he had that issue in ODIs but not in tests). If Sehwag had technical weakness for any kind of swing he would have been bowled/LBW many more times. Bowlers knew Sehwag's temptation to lash at balls that swing away from him - this was one area Sehwag could have improved. However he preferred to be the player who lived and died by the sword.
CG Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 Sehwag for me in one word-Hope. No matter what we chase or batting on seaming track.The hope he provided that he is going to attack the opp is remarkable.
vvvslaxman Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 IMO' date=' Sehwag did not have intrinsic weakness against the moving ball. He had a problem with the ball that moved away, usually with the balls that were pitched on the offstump corridor. His problem was not with those kinds of balls per se, but Sehwag had the tendency to go for his favourite cut shots to these deliveries. Most batsmen especially openers leave these balls alone, especially when the ball is new. But not Sehwag. Some times this resulted in edges and caught behinds. Sehwag had very little weakness for the ball that moved into him - Sehwag was bowled or LBW very few times in his test career (he had that issue in ODIs but not in tests). If Sehwag had technical weakness for any kind of swing he would have been bowled/LBW many more times. Bowlers knew Sehwag's temptation to lash at balls that swing away from him - this was one area Sehwag could have improved. However he preferred to be the player who lived and died by the sword.[/quote'] Well put. Yes he does not have technical weakness anymore than ever played cricket. Also later part they started having one day field set for Viru like having a third man straight away. I remember him getting out to Steyn caught at third man in SA. He gambles. When it comes off it is good.
paragkn Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 (edited) My views may differ to many people here.I think Sehwag was ATG in world cricket arena.He changed the way TEST cricket is played. His batting was all about risk, courage and breathtaking stroke play. He dominated almost every opposition he faced. To me was he one of the best batsmen who ever played cricket. A article from Sambit Bal , gives a brief Idea about what Sehwag was : http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/438062.html Edited October 21, 2015 by paragkn Gollum 1
express bowling Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 (edited) Sehwag is an ATG for sure. He has a test average of 49.3 at a scoring rate of 82...after playing 104 tests...8500+ runs, 23 centuries, 6 double and 2 triple centuries. Huh....players have been called ATGs for much less. He has centuries in Australia, South Africa and England. Perhaps WI too. Playing at a 82 SR in tests and still averaging 49+....wow.. Sehwag averages 47 from 11 tests played in Australia. 2 centuries with a highest of 195. Against Pakistan ...he averages 91 from 9 tests...4 centuries...highest of 309.The most fearless ( from a getting out point of view ) successful Indian batsman I have seen. Whenever he played well he ran away with the game and was an impact player. He won test matches for us. He was an unparallel entertainer as well.In the early years of his career, I don't think the world had seen a test batsman like Sehwag in the post World War 2 professional era. When he started playing, T20 was not there. Yet, he played test matches against the best sides like he was playing LOIs. He treated top notch international bowlers with utter disdain. Playing test matches like LOIs, at above 80 scoring rate, as an opener and still averaging over 50 ( during most of his career )...completely destroying and demoralizing bowlers whenever he played a longish innings....Sehwag changed the concept of test batting as an opener in the professional era. Edited October 21, 2015 by express bowling Gollum 1
Gollum Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Revolutionized test batting, that too opening !!! Like Gilchrist he has redefined cricket. ATG for sure and more importantly he gave a lot of joy to us cricket fans while wielding the willow. Very under rated player, hate those who call him FTB, HTB etc. express bowling 1
sage Posted October 21, 2015 Author Posted October 21, 2015 He has a better strike-rate AND average than Gilchrist, DESPITE opening the batting. What a man Gollum 1
zen Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Of course ATG! .... From 2003 to 2010, excluding BD and ZIM:a) Played 66 tests and scored 6500+ runs b) Avg of 57 (with a game changing SR). Home avg 59; Away avg 55 c) Top 3 scores - 319, 309 and 293 LINKLet's not forget that guys like Sehwag are above such numbers (attitude + amazing combination of SR & Avg). And with that in mind, those stats look even more mind boggling!! Gollum 1
sandeep Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Veeru is without question the best test opener since 2000. A handful might come somewhere near his orbit statistically in terms of runs scored, but would be nowhere near his scoring rate. This as many have pointed out, literally manufactures time for his team to apply pressure on the opponent. Forget numbers, any team playing at home or away would truly fear a Sehwag session - ask any of his contemporaries. Add to his batting, he was an under-rated offspinner who could have done a lot more with the ball given the opportunity by his team - he wasn't super motivated to bowl more either. Cricket will be lucky if another one like him comes around - for any team. Gollum 1
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