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Ian Chappell
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Former Australia captain, now a cricket commentator and columnist
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The new Bradman
Like the Don, Sehwag bats with an uncluttered mind, has made over 290 three times in Tests, and has the best strike rate among high scorers of his generation
January 3, 2010
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Players/Officials:
Sir Donald Bradman
| Virender Sehwag
Matches:
India v Sri Lanka at Mumbai (BS)
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In a calendar year where there were many fine feats and admirable achievements, Virender Sehwag's remarkable performance in scoring 284 off 79 overs in a Test match day stands out like a peaceful protest. The way he mercilessly flayed the Sri Lankan attack at the Brabourne Stadium is further proof that he's the greatest destroyer since the U-boat.
In an era where over rates are slowing perceptibly, he's scoring quicker than ever. At a time when batsmen like Sanath Jayasuriya and Jonathan Trott enact more rituals than a religious cult, Sehwag just faces up, taps his bat a couple of times and proceeds to lash the ball to all parts. Where other batsmen rely on visualising techniques, he prefers the tried and tested method of "see the ball, hit the ball".
Sehwag has often said he doesn't think too much when he's batting. A wise man. After years of speculation about what, apart from his enormous skill, made Sir Donald Bradman so great, I've come to the conclusion that a crucial attribute was his ability to bat with an uncluttered mind. That's not all Sehwag has in common with Bradman. They are the only batsmen to surpass 290 three times in Test cricket. They also comfortably have the best strike rate among the high scorers of their generation. This leads to an interesting thought on batsmanship: should greater consideration be given to stroke production rather than technique in moulding young batsmen? After all, efficient run-scoring is not just a statistical exercise, it's the first rung on the climb to victory.
To add further weight to that argument: despite Sehwag's carefree approach, it's amazing how many of his notable achievements surpass those of opening batsmen renowned for their technique. As an opener, Sehwag has a higher average than Sunil Gavaskar. And 75% of Sehwag's centuries exceed 150, while Sir Leonard Hutton only achieved that landmark around 50% of the time. This is even more remarkable when you realise there was a time during John Wright's term as Indian coach that Sehwag was criticised for throwing his wicket away once he had got a start. I asked what his response was when the coach eventually felt the need to admonish Sehwag and Wright said: "Viru just shrugged his shoulders as if to say, 'Watch my next innings'".
There can be no argument that Bradman had the better technique, which speaks volumes for Sehwag standing by the conviction he revealed to Wright in his early days. This is an area where a coach can't help a young player; he's either born with Sehwag's confidence in his own ability or he's like the bulk of international batsmen and has moments of doubt. When comparing Sehwag to his own generation, it's the strike-rate column that shows his true worth to the team.
| Should greater consideration be given to stroke production rather than technique in moulding young batsmen? After all, efficient run-scoring is not just a statistical exercise, it's the first rung on the climb to victory | |||
He exceeds such renowned new-ball clatterers as Matthew Hayden and Chris Gayle by more than 20 runs per 100 balls. Incredibly, he is 16 runs per 100 balls ahead of the eternally belligerent Jayasuriya. To score at 81 runs per 100 balls while opening the batting in Test cricket is quite remarkable, even in an era where the standard of fast bowling is a little down on the previous decade.
There's another amazing aspect to Sehwag's Test-match success. In Twenty20 cricket there are a number of openers who are within a faint edge of Sehwag's strike-rate. This suggests there are openers who can score quickly for a short period but that only Sehwag can prolong a hectic run-rate throughout a long innings, highlighting his amazing confidence in his own ability and the incredible strength of his uncluttered mind.
To those who attribute much of Sehwag's success to scoring heavily on flat Indian pitches, there's evidence to the contrary. He averages 50.48 away from India as an opener and has scored seven of his 16 hundreds on foreign soil. His 195 at the MCG in 2003-04 is one of the finest examples of an opener taking on the opposing bowlers on the opening day with gusto and audacious strokeplay.
Nevertheless, even that tearaway Sehwag innings pales into insignificance when compared with his outstanding achievement of 2009 at the Brabourne Stadium. May he play more innings like it in 2010, and hopefully everybody reading this column has a happy and healthy year.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell is now a cricket commentator and columnist
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Ian Chappell
Widely regarded as the best Australian captain of the last 50 years, Ian
Chappell moulded a team in his image: tough, positive, and fearless. Even
though Chappell sometimes risked defeat playing for a win, Australia did not lose a Test series under him between 1971 and 1975. He was an aggressive batsman himself, always ready to hook a bouncer and unafraid to use his feet against the spinners. In 1977 he played a lead role in the defection of a number of Australian players to Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket, which did not endear him to the administrators, who he regarded with contempt in any case. After retirement, he made an easy switch to television, where he has come to be known as a trenchant and fiercely independent voice.
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basically, yes. I totally agree. This era has been possibly blighted by either poor pitches, or a shortage of quality fast bowlers, but whatever the reason, only really Sehwag can stand up to any critic who points this out and say "yeah, I know, and look what I did to them." He's hit a few good knocks under pressure as well, he's an outstanding player, but for me, that strike rate. that "so what if it was a good pitch/bad attack, there's still no one else that's able to do what I do on it." is what sets him apart as one of the best batsmen around these days.
Posted by prashant1 on (January 06 2010, 16:23 PM GMT)@alex400. get over your tendulkar phobia and get a life. this article is essentially a celebration of sehwag. sure he is nowhere as consistent as the don,but in the huge and fast score category he is the one closest.
Posted by sanjay15 on (January 06 2010, 15:59 PM GMT)I guess Sehwag is the number one batsman when it comes to tests but i can't understand why he is not replicating that form in one dayers.I do agree that his strike rate in one dayers stand out but he needs to be a little more consistent in run scoring and bat the way he does in Test cricket.Well apart from Sehwag i love the commentary of Mr.Ian Chappell and he has great cricketing mind and always spots talent across the world being in the comm box.Hopefully we would like to listen 2 you more in future.U rock mate!!!!!
Posted by godzillano1 on (January 06 2010, 04:36 AM GMT)This is awesome tribute to the greatest master blaster ever in the history of cricket The bowling and the line and length are truly awesome in todays cricket Remember that there is nothing like bodyline today. Every thing is fine. In this age of T20'S to make triple century is ....unbelievable. Hats off to you sehwag and nice article Mr IC.
Posted by SatyajitM on (January 05 2010, 15:43 PM GMT)I guess IC is going little overboard. Sehwag is surely one of the most destructive batsman on his day and 2009 has been one of his best years but I wouldn't call him as good as Viv, forget about Bradman. The fact that the decade has seen run scoring easier (just see the statistical article from S Rajesh about 55 being new 50 this decade) does contribute to Sehwag's great run. The other shortcoming which cannot be ignored is his less than impressive record in ODIs which he should have dominated (does his mind not remain uncluttered during an ODI innings ;-) ). Excellent stroke maker - Yes, Great entertainer - Absolutely, Comparable to Bradman - Not really!
Posted by since7 on (January 05 2010, 14:16 PM GMT)in an era where former greats keep on boasting about the superiority of their playing eras,one must be happy about ian chappell who never brings about this bias into his analysis..the aussies ian and roebuck have been able to appreciate sehwag's true worth than many of the people of his own nation..perhaps the most telling comment was how sehwag differs from other T20 and ODI marauders..whatever debate people might have about the overrated term "greatness",sehwag's approach to the game is inimitable and game shattering
Posted by Codenames on (January 05 2010, 09:15 AM GMT)Oh this would be really funny if it wasnt such an insult to Bradman. Comparing a guy to Bradman who's ODI + TEST average cannot add up to Bradmans average! I wont deny that Virender is a great but never will he be as great as Bradman. According to the writer of this article a certain JP Duminy will be as 'great' as Ponting. A few more of these articles and soon these may find themselves in the Page2 section!
Posted by JAYESH10 on (January 05 2010, 06:49 AM GMT)He is showing true Jat qualities- extreme aggression & combativeness, great disdain for pressure, plain talking, simplicity, great confidence, great mental strength. I think his coming into the Indian team has coincided with greater winning %ages for the team. Just c the team's record before & after his arrival. From poor travellers to big threat has been a big change.
Posted by floydianechoes on (January 05 2010, 06:38 AM GMT)best recommendation letter ever:)
Posted by JAYESH10 on (January 05 2010, 06:37 AM GMT)Any player playing in a particular era will adjust his batting to the bowlers operating in his era & the playing conditions apart from his innate ability to learn & adapt in a difficult sitn. For ex Richards learnt his cricket playing fast bowlers but he was weak against spin & could never read gud spinners. He was scared of Chandra. From 1981 to 1991 no good quality spinners operated on the world stage. The great Don had limitations earlier in his career, he was found wanting on turning wickets and ag gud spinners like Headley Verity & a few others. But he worked over his limitations.VS learnt his cricket playing medium fast bowlers, on his debut his wicket was taken by S Akhtar. Subsequently what he has done-309 ag Akhtar, 319 ag Steyn, Ntini, 195 ag Lee.Diff betn VS & Don-VS hits big 6s overfielders heads, Don never did that.Focus on task at hand & keep othr things out of mind-quality of genius.Grt ldrs r grt simplifiers not great complicators- Gen Colin Powell