Mahendra Singh Dhoni refused to lecture Virender Sehwag on changing his ways and the move seems to have paid off for the Indian team.
The Indian captain revealed to the media that despite cajoling, he was less inclined to tell Virender Sehwag to mend his ways in terms of tightening his game. Sehwag is not only a trailblazing opening batsman but also, is someone who is more likely to bring about his own downfall.
The latter has been his story since his comeback from shoulder injury. Nowhere has Sehwag shown rustiness of not having played international cricket since the IPL 2 in South Africa. Instead on practically every occasion, Sehwag has shown good touch and looked hungry for more.
But therein lay the story. Everytime he has threatened the opposition, he has fallen to a loose shot, uncanny of the man who normally sights the ball with such brilliance that he dispatches it to telling effect.
When queried if he would admonish the opening batsman, Dhoni felt that Sehwag was far too experienced and there was no question of demanding that the batsman change his style because that was the way Sehwag played and that was the way India marched forward.
The free rein worked wonders in the second Test in Kanpur where Sehwag played uninhibited in his typical style and until his dismissal having scored 131 runs at less than a run a ball, he did not look like getting out.
One would have to say that Sehwag, on this occasion as well, gifted his wicket away to a soft dismissal to Muttiah Muralitharan, Tillekeratne Dilshan taking the catch at extra cover as Sehwag attempted a false shot for a boundary.
That Sehwag’s innings could have made a bigger dent is not lost despite piling on the compliments.
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