Sehwag hits out of crisis in the middle

By John Cheeran
Like a street ruffian reclaiming his pet corner, Indian opener Virender Sehwag cemented his place in the Indian side with a swashbuckling innings of 65 against Australia in Mohali.
That was a great improvement from a man under pressure, and in a match so vital for India’s survival in the Champions Trophy, highly welcome too.
But again, Sehwag left in a situation when he should have taken the innings to a higher plane from where India's lower order batsmen could have launched an assault on Aussies.
That said, it cannot be denied how invaluable is Delhi dazzler’s contribution on Sunday.
Wicket had only a tinge of grass but it still let Australian fast bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Watson keep the pressure on Indians.
And just consider the fact that world's no.1 batsman Sachin Tendulkar was out of sorts, not showing that hunger for runs.
As it always happens with someone out of touch slipping back to form, Sehwag enjoyed slices of luck early in his innings. A waltz with chance, that was Sehwag’s innings out there.
To begin with, Brett Lee erred in his line in his opening spell; and then Michael Clarke’s fingers let through the chance that Sehwag offered.
Sehwag did make clear his devil-may-care attitude against Mitchell Johnson almost walking down to square leg to hit the bowler through covers for roaring boundaries. Later, Sehwag survived a run out chance when he was on 46.
Sehwag excelled on the off-side with cavalier strokes but there was nothing that proclaimed he was fully in control in the middle. I did not remember him playing the pull shot even once in the innings.
A century was there for Sehwag’s asking but he seemed hardly interested. Even skipper Rahul Dravid’s presence was not enough to calm him down.
I’m sure, questions will be asked about the man’s commitment to the larger vision of Team India again and I will be one of them..