Dec 14: Sehwag’s inclusion in the Test squad of the Australian tour comes out of blue and that puts him in a make-or-break position since he will have to perform tremendously to justify his inclusion and also to sustain his international career.
It will be now or never for Najafgarh of Nawab Virender Sehwag when he takes the field in Melbourne on the Boxing day Test-series opener against formidable Australia after his stunning inclusion in the Test squad for the upcoming Australian tour. Rajasthan’s lanky speedster Pankaj Singh is the lone new face, who made it into the 16-member side.
The Delhi’s maverick batsman has to come out with all cylinders firing, through his willow in Down Under, not only to justify his surprise inclusion but also to extend his international career. Sehwag’s selection raised eye-brows of many in the cricketing fraternity, as he was not even in the list of 24 probables announced a week before by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Sehwag’s recall could have been negotiated by the five wise men in the wake of his statemate’s Gautam Gambhir exclusion due to sore shoulder. Gambhir is advised to take three weeks rest to be fit again for the ODI tri-series, featuring Sri Lanka as third country, followed by four Tests.
It is indeed an irony for Delhi’s opening batsman Aakash Chopra, as he missed the Australia bound flight due to his statemate. If Sehwag benefitted from his Delhi teammate Gambhir, it brings despair for other Delhi mate.
Chopra was the fourth opener in the list of 24 probables and would have surely expected to get the nod for the Aussie tour after backing his claim with 814 runs in the current first-class season. He is going great guns in the domestic circuit and also topping the run chart with an average of 74 escorted with double centuries against South Africa A and Himachal Pradesh.
But the big question looming large over selectors and Board, why Chopra was included in the probables list? Since you don’t want to take him in the team and that too after his consistent performances with the Indian A side and for his state.
Sehwag probably got the nod ahead of Chopra just because of the manner he plays the game. He is very strong on the off-side both on front and back foot and has got belligerent range of strokes in his arsenal that can succeed on Australian wickets. He could also be used as a part-time off spinner as he delivered the goods rolling his arm over in the past.
On the other hand, Chopra being more correct and flawless in his technique, he is a type of batsman who couldn’t be able to run the scoreboard freely and can only contain the lethal Aussie fast bowling attack with his stout defence.
Sehwag has not played a single Test since the defeat at Cape Town early this year and his present form has also not been impressive this season — 66 runs from 3 Ranji Trophy matches.
The thing, which went in favour of 29-year-old Sehwag, must be his impressive record in Australia. An overall average of 54.70 while scoring 547 runs that included one century and two 50s, and out of that 464 runs in the four Tests of the 2003-04 series itself.
Apart from Sehwag there is a Test call for Rajasthan’s lanky paceman Pankaj Singh, as he has been rewarded for his performances for Rajasthan and India ‘A’. The 6 foot 5 inches tall and brawny paceman hits the deck hard and seams the ball around. He could be able to extract extra bounce in fast pitches of Australia provided he will be given the chance.
The side has five pacemen in Zaheer Khan, the leader of the pack, R.P. Singh, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan and Pankaj. Injury ruled S. Sreesanth out, while R.P. has passed a fitness test.
Skipper Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh are the lone spinners in the side, which lacks a left-arm spinner. And Pathan is the only all-rounder.
Wasim Jaffer, the first choice, Dinesh Kaarthick and Sehwag are the openers while M.S. Dhoni and Kaarthick will be the batsmen-wicketkeepers.
Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar Sourav Ganguly and Dhoni forced the middle-order, which is the team’s strength.
India ’s last Test series in Australia ended in a 1-1 draw.
Anil Kumble (captain), Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, R P Singh, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Kaarthick and Pankaj Singh.
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