Akash Chopra on Sehwag

Akash Chopra is a columnist for Cricinfo. He writes well albeit most of his articles talk about the correct cricketing techniques, which may not be palatable to most cricket aficionados. However, the current article in not only well written but also gives insights to Sehwag's lackadaisical form. Only Sehwag can tell what is going through is mind right now but Akash, as a former opening partner, may have thrown some good thoughts.

Read on...

Memo to Sehwag

Did Sehwag get his century?

India vs. SL
India-SL-NZ Trieseries, 2010

There is a whole debate raging on how SL/Sangakara/Randiv conspired to deny a well deerverd century to Sehwag. There is another aspect to the whole debate - did umpires decide correctly?

Read on it is an interesting article.

http://in.yfittopostblog.com/2010/08/17/sehwag-did-get-his-century/

I can add another point to the many convincing points already written in the article above. If the no-ball bowled by Randiv is counted towards Sehwag's score so why not the 6 runs.

Keep on munching!

Let us pray!

India vs. SA
3rd ODI
Season 2009-10

This post is a continuation from the last post

Headlines and the art of selling news

I also want India to win and make a clean sweep but I have certain apprehensions. The first ODI was close. India, of course, had an upper hand till 44th over or so but they became complacent and let the advantage whittle away. While batting also the batsmen gave away good starts otherwise the total could have been higher. The second ODI was put beyond SA reach by only one man - Tendulkar. Remove him from the equation and you have evenly matched teams. And introduce new and inexperienced blood, it is advantage SA.

We already have depleted team with injuries to Gambhir, Yuvraj and Zaheer - all top 10 players as per ICC ranking. On top of it the selectors have rested Sehwag & Tendulkar and have extended Harbhajan's rest. Again all three are top 10 players. Tendulkar's rest is justified but resting Sehwag and Harbhjan when team is already depleted is not a good idea. If anybody needed rest it was Dhoni. He has been playing non-stop in all form of the games and he has a tough schedule ahead.

It is true that the replacements are worthy and talented but all of them lack experience. It is a good idea to test the reserves and give bench some chance to secure a team for future. But wholesale replacements are not good even if it is a dead rubber. We must learn from Australia of old. They also had a rotation policy but never at the expense of a game. They never got complacent and were so ruthless that many games were won even before starting. We must make winning a habit.

We can still win today's game but chances have diminished. Let us pray for today's win.

Sunil Gavaskar comments

In a recent article in The Hindustan Times Mr. Gavaskar wrote

Virender Sehwag speaks like he bats and that’s why he is so refreshing, for there are no diplomatic niceties for him. He thinks that Bangladesh are an ordinary side incapable of taking 20 India wickets.

Read the complete article at When batsmen leave their teams and fans demoralised

Read more about the 'Ordinary' analysis at An 'Ordinary' Sehwag and An 'Ordinary' Bangladesh

An ordinary Bangladesh

India in Bangladesh
1st test, 2009/10 season

It is true that Sehwag called Bangladesh an 'Ordinary' team. Was it a figure of speech? Or Was it an hyperbole? No, it was straight talking. Sehwag does not mince words while talking and he talks straight from the heart. Read my previous post on the same subject.

An 'Ordinary' Sehwag

However, Sehwag shot himself on foot, or so it seemed, when India got out at 243. Media went GaGa over it and Bangla fans went delirious. But did anyone realize that India had one poor session when they lost 6 wickets. In the morning session they were going great guns and last session too was OK. It was only after lunch that they floundered.

To further substantiate my point, I did some research on the past performances of Bangladesh. I checked test match data of last 2 years and compared it with India's. It is considered that in last 2 years Bangladesh has improved tremendously. But the data proves that there was nothing out of ordinary in Sehwag's comments.


Bangladesh scored under 200 in 11 innings out of 21 completed innings - more than 50% times. If we consider under 250 scores the percentage jumps to 80%. If we think scores of 254 and 259 are also under par than the percentage jumps to 90%.



India, on the other hand, just has 4 out 28 under 200 innings - a very low 14%. India also had 11 450+ scores in last 2 years whereas Bangladesh had none. Another interesting inference is Bangladesh lost 20 wickets more often than not - 21 out of possible 24 innings.

It is not a comparison between India and Bangladesh. India is at the top while Bangladesh is at the bottom of ICC test ranking. I collated the stats just to prove the veracity of Sehwag's statement. Bangladesh are truly 'Ordinary'.

An 'Ordinary' Sehwag

India in Bangladesh Test Series - 1st Test
2009/10 season

Sehwag is a misfit in Gentleman's game. He is an 'Ordinary' person with Extra'Ordinary' batting skill. He does not believe in slow nature of test cricket, makes his own rules about the batting and more often than not talks straight.

He makes (Seh)wacky comments which are sometimes misconstrued. Yesterday was an another exhibition of his Ordinary nature. He said Bangladesh is an Ordinary team which evoked surprise, shock and awe. It is true that it would have bruised, nay, shattered Bangla ego but the comment, in itself, was not out of Ordinary. It came out naturally and was a straight response to a straight question. Sehwag does not know how to polish the words. He calls a spade a spade.

Read my recent post on another Sehwag comment and forget about yesterday's press conference.

Trust Sehwag to entertain you - Always

In essence he is (Seh)wack - See the ball hit the ball.

Trust Sehwag to entertain you - Always

Sri Lanka in India ODI Series - 1st ODI
2009/10 season

Excerpt of converation between Ravi Shatri and Sehwag at the post-match ceremony.

Ravi Shastri to Virender Sehwag: "You are usually a chilled out character. But with the last over going on, and you sitting above [since he was injured and off the field], were you a bit tense?"

Sehwag: "Not at all. I was actually supporting Sri Lanka. My superstition is that whenever I support India, they lose. So I was supporting Sri Lanka."

Sri Lanka's Sehwag

Journalists, media-men, commentators and common folks like us have nick named Dilshan as Sri Lanka's Sehwag. I wonder if it is a compliment to Sehwag or to Dilshan.

Why India is serious contender for the ICC T20 World Cup?

India team is not only the defending champions but is also considered to be favourites to win ICC T20 World Cup again. Pundits, critics, media-personnel and fans alike have put their bets on India.

The betting sites have also given best odds to India closely followed by SA and Australia. At the time of posting this articles the Ladbrokes' odds for India were 5/2 while for SA and Australia were 7/2 and 11/2 respectively. The odds would change as tournament will progress. One can check the betting meter of various online sites at

Twenty20 World Cup Win Market Betting Odds

I am not a betting man but I like to analyze the cricket happenings. Why is everyone considering India as favourites? Is it because:

1. India has a very strong team with fine balance.
2. Indians have much more experience of T20 format than rival team players (courtesy IPL).
3. All the 15 individuals in the team are proven performers - swash bucking batsmen, excellent fielders and wicket taking bowlers.
4. Most of the players are is excellent form and are coming after a successful stint in IPL2.
5. Dhoni is considered to be a fine leader with a cool head and astute thinking.

All these points definitely make India a world beating team. These points have been analyzed threadbare by media and cricket pundits; there is no point in repeating them here. SA and Australia too can run close if we just consider these points. Man for man SA and Australia too have brilliant team.

World Cup squads
India - http://www.cricinfo.com/wt202009/content/squad/402820.html
SA - http://www.cricinfo.com/wt202009/content/squad/402863.html
Australia - http://www.cricinfo.com/wt202009/content/squad/402963.html

So what is it that makes India favourites? Where is the wow factor? Why are odds what they are? I think there are more important points. These are:

1. The bench - Out of 15 individuals in the squad only 11 will play. The bench strength of India is much better that rest of the teams. Dhoni has happy problem of who to take in playing 11 and who to leave. Indian team has the strongest bench among all teams playing in the world cup. One just has to consider how India thrashed Pakistan in a warm up game when their premier bowler (Zaheer) and the regular opener (Sehwag) were injured and warming the bench.
2. Beyond the bench - Players like Karthink, Nehra, Munaf, Mishra, Balaji are not in the 15 member squad. These players performed exceptionally well in recently concluded IPL and have donned India colours before; they can walk in any other international side based on their performance. Alas! There is no space for them in Indian team. And I am not talking about the other young guns who also performed well in IPL but do not have the international exposure. Surely they will put positive pressure on the players in world cup squad.
3. Fear Factor - There are very few players in world cricket who induce fear in the mind of opposition. These players are reverved by fans and opposition alike. India have couple of them - Sehwag, Yuvraj and Dhoni. Australia also used to have few before they lost them to retirement and indiscipline (read Symmonds).
4. Pressure situations - Most Indian players are accustomed to pressure cooker like situations. Over past two years they have seen extremely adverse conditions (both in one dayers and tests) where they have come out strongly. They have won matches from extreme odds. As an old adage goes - been there, done that. Players like Dhoni, Yuvraj, Rohit, Pathan brothers, Zaheer, Harbhajan and Raina have won matches on their own from seemingly impossible situations. They are all big match players.

Did anyone say odds in a T20 match change very quickly?