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Jason Roy – Does England opener reminds us of Virender Sehwag?

Jason Roy showed his potential in the ODI series against Sri Lanka at home scoring 316 runs.

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Jason Roy is a major prospective for Jason Roy in ODIs © Getty Images
Jason Roy is a major prospective for Jason Roy in ODIs © Getty Images

England have finally found an opener who can get them off to flying starts. England needed an explosive batsman and needed the kind of starts they provide desperately. Their prayers were answered, in form of Jason Roy. The 26-year-old Roy is one of the most ruthless, ferocious and fearless batsmen England have had up in the order in recent times. At least his strike rate says so, clocking at 105.17 after 25 ODIs. He is fearless and does not back down from a fight, he steps down the wicket early on in the innings and creates pressure on the bowlers. He does not fall for traps, he lays it down for bowlers. He is the kind of batsman England needed, like India had in Virender Sehwag, like New Zealand had in Brendon McCullum, like Australia have in David Warner, and like West Indies have in Chris Gayle. Full Cricket Scorecard: England vs Pakistan 2016, 2nd Test at Old Trafford

He backs himself to score runs early on in the innings. One thing which can be categorised both as his weakness and strength is that he does not like to knock the ball around for singles. When he goes after the bowlers he does it with force, and authority. He takes them on and rips them apart. Roy still holds the record for scoring most runs in a single NatWest T20 series, 677 runs at an average of 48.35.

He can be the torch-bearer of the new England side which seems to have evolved from the past failures and have begun dominating. Roy has a fair technique for an explosive batsman. He is good both front and square of the wicket. His trademark shot could be stepping down the wicket and flicking the ball towards square-leg region for a maximum, he is the kind of batsman who forces bowling changes. He has three centuries and as many half-centuries in 25 ODIs. He has scored 874 runs at an average of 39.72, scoring more than run-a-ball.  His statistics in T20Is can be misleading, he is a better batsman in the shortest format than it reflects in international records.

One instance where he turned the course of the match on his own was in ICC T20 World Cup 2016 against South Africa. England won the toss and elected to field first. The Proteas came into bat and put on a mammoth total of 229 on scoreboard. It seemed like England were bound to lose this match but Roy had some other plans.

Roy got England off to a flier scoring boundary at almost each and every ball he connected with the bat. He scored 43 runs from 16 balls with the help of 5 fours and 3 sixes. The impact he had in the game can be substantiated by the score England had on board when he got out, 71 for 2 in 4.3 overs. By the time he got out, England were back in the game. Although, it would be remembered as Joe Root’s match as he ensured England reached the target, but Roy’s contribution in the match cannot be ignored.

Roy has a long way to go in his career. His qualities certainly remind us of what Virender Sehwag possessed back in his days. And just for stating a random fact out of the blue, Roy and Sehwag scored their first ODI century in their 15th game. And for the record Sehwag tweeted when Jason Roy was batting brilliantly, “Ye England openers me meri aatma kaha se aa gayi“. He meant that as a compliment that how England players have managed to counter-attack like him.

(Arun Rawal, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a daydreamer, movie buff, and cricket fanatic. He could not play cricket, so did the next best thing, writing for it. He loves to play the flick shot over square leg, and believes Sachin Tendulkar is God. His Twitter handle is @ArunRawal93)

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