Sensational Sehwag keeps Sri Lanka at bay

"It didn't change my style. I just came out and played my shots. But different batsmen have different mindsets." That was Virender Sehwag's response when he was asked whether a delay that lasted more than four hours had upset his rhythm in any way. If some of his more illustrious team-mates had that insouciance, which can sometimes manifest itself as carelessness, India would never lose a game.

Sehwag had attracted considerable criticism for his shot selection in Colombo, but after an uncertain start here, he was at his unfettered best. In many ways, he's an improved version of Michael Slater. No matter what the match or series situation, Sehwag plays it his way. It doesn't matter if it's Brett Lee at Perth or Muttiah Muralitharan in Galle, a ball that's there to be hit usually gets the full treatment.

That was best illustrated in a stunning over just after play resumed. Sehwag was on 91 at the time, but circumspection was the last thing on his mind when Chaminda Vaas pitched one fairly full outside off stump. A contemptuous swipe sent the ball soaring over midwicket. Three balls later, he leathered one down the ground to get to his 15th Test century from just 87 balls. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it.

Apart from Gautam Gambhir, who added 167 with him for the first wicket, there was nothing awe-inspiring about the rest of India's batting though. After Ajantha Mendis trapped Gambhir in front with one that went on straight, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly fell in the space of 19 balls to hand Sri Lanka the initiative.

Dravid, according to law 32.3 (e), wasn't out because the ball made contact with Malinda Warnapura's helmet as he juggled to try and hold on to an inside edge off Mendis. Billy Doctrove wasn't required to make a decision though, because Dravid walked once he saw that Warnapura hadn't grassed the chance. His three innings in the series have so far fetched him 26 runs, and there's unlikely to be any celebration on a day when he went past Sunil Gavaskar's tally of 10,122 runs.

Tendulkar and Ganguly both fell to Vaas, who made up for his lack of pace with subtle movement and every bowler's favourite cliche, "bowling the right areas". Sehwag was unconquered on 128 at stumps, but most of his good work had been undermined by the collapse.

Sri Lanka will take great heart from their display in the final session, especially the manner in which Mendis bounced back after being taken for 37 from six overs in the morning. He could have had Sehwag early on, but though Mahela Jayawardene called for a review of Rudi Koertzen's decision, replays couldn't establish if the ball had brushed glove or arm after contact with the pad.

Trevor Bayliss, the Sri Lankan coach, said later that there had been no advice for Mendis during the long delay. "He's a very quick learner," he said, and that showed as he once again set the cat amongst India's pigeons. Only Sehwag, who cut and drove him with genuine confidence, mastered him, though Gambhir had also negotiated him competently during his innings of 56.

Asked later about the Mendis conundrum, Sehwag spoke of playing him off the pitch, rather than trying to read him from the hand. It might be sound advice for the others to follow. Or maybe not. Sehwag is, after all, inimitable.

Comments

[Sportsmediaz]

Sehwag is one of its own kind of cricketer and i think all days are not good days as of past when if didnt showed himslef much but i still got much more of cricket in him and will rock for sure :)

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India vs Srilanka Series

[dhileep]

Another 50 by Gambir and Sehwag and it is time the big guns scored runs atleast 200 of them(after all together they have scored around 35,000 test runs!)My best Sehwag innings was against England at B'lore when Tendulkar got stumped for the first time in his career.Dravid made 3 from 70 balls! and Giles bowled 18 maidens(disgusting) and out walked Viru and used his feet, 3 or 4 feet autside the legstump and hit him repeatedly over cover!Then Tendulkar did it too as if inspired by Sehwag and eventually got out stumped.It is indeed a rare genius to possess an uncluttered mind!

[Homer]

India's biggest worry is that Rahul Dravid no longer has the presence at the batting crease as he once did.

Bad form? Maybe, but the more I see Dravid, the more he looks like a batsman playing from memory - his 93 at Perth and 100 at Chennai notwithstanding.

And this has been evident from that scratchy 12 at the Oval.

If he cannot turn his form ( and mindset) around by the time this season is over, India will have to make the tough call on his career!

Cheers,

[Pritam Sinha]

Apart from Sehwag brilliance and flashes of it by Gambhir, I think what must be woorying most of us Indians that our famed four are not producing the goods required so far in this series. Ajantha once again impressed and Vaas hasn't gone anywhere.
Hope tomorrow, VVS and the very special Viru and others to follow ensures a good total and the rain clouds keep at bay otherwise we might not level the series in this test. Hope for the best. We Indians never lose hope, Mr Dan Patel please.