By CricketCountry Staff
Virender Sehwag, who holds the record for highest individual run score in One-Day-Internationals (ODIs), is struggling and it is clearly evident in the way he has been performing in the ongoing series Down Under.
Published: Jan 19, 2012, 01:33 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 19, 2012, 01:33 PM (IST)
In the series Down Under, Virender Sehwag has scored only 118 runs from six innings with an average of 19.66 © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
New Delhi: Jan 19, 2012
Virender Sehwag, who holds the record for highest individual run score in One-Day-Internationals (ODIs), is struggling and it is clearly evident in the way he has been performing in the ongoing series Down Under.
However coach AN Sharma has trust in his pupil. He believes it is just a bad phase and the Indian opener will be back in his best form soon.
“The Aussies did their homework well on Viru. After seeing his batting in the first Test, I told him to avoid playing the square cut. I also told him to keep his body in balance while playing any shot. But you know, luck can elude you at times on the field,” Sharma said.
Sehwag has scored only 118 runs from six innings with an average of 19.66. In 2007-08, he scored 285 runs from two Test matches and in 2003-04, he made 464 runs from four Test matches with an average of 58.
“The Australian pitches are very grassy. Their pitches have more grass on them than the outfields in India. The sad bit is that none of our batsmen are used to these pitches,” Sharma told Times of India on Wednesday.
Sharma suggests that Sehwag had tried to perform well in the first innings at Melbourne. However, shot selections hurt him and he was easily dismissed by the Australian bowlers.
“A lot of the senior Indian batsmen are surely losing their reflexes. But I can assure you that there is no problem with Viru’s reflexes. He is playing a couple of shots while he should avoid to make it count.”
However former Indian opener Chetan Chauhan had different views altogether. He said that Sehwag should bat at No 5 in the batting line-up. He also added that Sehwag is out of form and is unable to cope with swing and pace bowling.
“He is struggling against quality attack and the best option for the next Test match is to bat lower down the order. Wridhdhiman Saha should open the innings with Gambhir,” Chauhan.
Sharma concluded that he is sure Sehwag won’t falter in Adelaide though and praised Sachin Tendulkar for being the only in-form batsman.
“Sachin Tendulkar is the only batsman in the team right now who has played his shots from the middle of his bat.”
