Every now and again we’re lucky enough to get performances and matches right out of the top drawer. There have been a few recently: the endless supply of debutants claiming five wicket hauls, for example; the South Africa Vs Australia Test series.
Virender Sehwag salutes the crowd having reached the 200 mark against the West Indies in Indore
All were eclipsed, however, by the performance of the year yesterday, provided courtesy of Virender Sehwag’s bat.
His 219 runs against the West Indies at Indore were sublime. Sure, he was dropped on 171 by Darren Sammy, but we all need a little luck, right?
In the previous three fixtures of the India Vs West Indies ODI series, Sehwag had done nothing to suggest that such a feat was around the corner. He’d looked out of sorts, scrabbling around for runs in the 50-over format, shooting well below his explosive best.
Was he past it? Was he heck. He pulled out a performance that has cemented his place as the best opening batsman of the past 10 years. Form is temporary, class is permanent.
A forgotten byline of this innings is the fact that ‘Viru’ passed 8000 ODI runs. He now has 8025 at an average of 35.66 and a rollocking strike rate of 104.62
Of those players with more than 5000 ODI runs, only Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi has a higher strike rate. But he lacks the consistency and temperament of Sehwag.
If it wasn’t already, Sehwag’s is now a truly memorable career. Along with Sir Don Bradman, Brian Lara and Chris Gayle, he is the only man to have made two triple centuries in Test cricket, a format in which he averages 52.15.
Yet, for all his brilliance, Sehwag, and the rest of his team mates for that matter, have always lived somewhat in the shadow of one Sachin Tendulkar.
In casting aside one of the Little Master’s records, however, Virender Sehwag has claimed a piece of history all to himself.
By Miles Reucroft
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What an excellent innings by Sehwag – if only he could deliver like that consistently, especially in tournaments like the ICC Cricket World cup. Fortunately for the selectors, he is a gamble in India that frequently pays off for the team. A score of 219 is simply classic.
I only hope Tendulkar makes his mark at some point with his one outstanding century.. Sehwag has already made his with 2 triple centuries… doubt it’ll get any better than that for him!
Frank