Tough to compare Sehwag to Richards: Qamar Ahmed

Qamar Ahmed, a former first-class player, feels that Virender Sehwag is a remarkable striker of the ball and can be counted amongst the most destructive batsmen © AFP

 

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By CricketCountry Staff

 

Karachi: Dec 19, 2011

 

Qamar Ahmed, the famous Pakistani cricket journalist feels that Virender Sehwag is a genius in his own right and it is hard to compare him to Sir Vivian Richards.

 

In his article for the newspaper Dawn, Ahmed wrote  that the West Indian had a more threatening presence in the middle when compared to Sehwag but the latter has shown remarkable batting ability over the years.

 

Ahmed wrote “It is hard to compare, though, when it comes to hitting the ball with the full meat of the bat and despatching it to the fence or over it with perfect and pristine timing, as many have done it before Sehwag.”

 

He wrote that had Sehwag been more consistent, he may have been as feared as Richards, “The difference, of course, is that Richards’ presence in the middle was always as threatening and dangerous as a tiger on the prowl, waiting in an ambush to whet his appetite, whereas Sehwag’s, I suppose, is not.

 

“If only he was as consistent and had an aura and confidence about him as the great West Indian, he would have had even a greater presence.”

 

Ahmed, a former first-class player, feels that Sehwag is a remarkable striker of the cricket ball and can be counted amongst the most destructive batsmen.

 

“Sehwag is no less a figure, though, when it comes to wielding the willow. Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Jayasuriya, Adam Gilchrist and Shahid Afridi always come to mind while watching him bat,” he wrote.

 

Ahmed also praised Sehwag for his aggressive approach and appreciated his ability to destroy pace and spin.