*Official* Third Test at Edgbaston

[Flem274*]

Sehwag designed his technique around domination in the subcontinent. Nothing wrong with it at all, because he plays a ridiculous amount of games there and he is super effective at what he does.

He's not going to be as effective elsewhere though unless the pitches are favourable towards him i.e. flat or turning.

 

[MW1304]

It mattered in South Africa..

He does have a hundred at Trent Bridge and a quick 80-odd at Lord's, so on his day he can still take apart swing/seam bowling. Thing is, he only has 4 innings maximum in the series. Over a whole series he may not contribute much overall, but all it takes is one destructive period of play from Sehwag to change one game over a series, which is what I worry about.

 

[Uppercut]

Sehwag looked terrible in South Africa. Exactly as terrible as you would expect someone to look while repeatedly trying to drive Dale Steyn through the covers in the first over of a test at Centurion. He nicked behind driving away from his body twice, spewed a catch to third man for 0, edged one to the slips and picked out mid-off trying to drive Steyn aerially. Which for some reason seems to be the one everyone remembers.

 

[MW1304]

I know, but whether he had a good or bad series in South Africa isn't particularly important considering he has taken us apart in England before and could do it again. Something that goes against him more, I'd say, is the fact that he hasn't played any form of cricket since the IPL, and any actual Test cricket since January. A long break may not affect him as much as other people, but I'd say its more of a hindrance than any poor series he's had in South Africa.

 

[Uppercut]

He does have a hundred at Trent Bridge and a quick 80-odd at Lord's, so on his day he can still take apart swing/seam bowling. Thing is, he only has 4 innings maximum in the series. Over a whole series he may not contribute much overall, but all it takes is one destructive period of play from Sehwag to change one game over a series, which is what I worry about.

I don't think he's that dangerous, personally. The best strategy for batting so far this series has invariably been to see off the first couple of salvos and cash in when the ball gets old and the attack tires. The thing about Sehwag is, even if he comes off and gets 80-odd, England's quicks will only be into their second or third spell with a 30-over old ball when the Indian middle order come in. Rahul Dravid offers a great deal more protection, the effect of which allowed Yuvraj to make 70-odd in the first innings at TB, the majority of which came off Graeme Swann. Defensive batting can often be so much more valuable than aggressive batting.

 

[Cevno]

I don't think he's that dangerous, personally. The best strategy for batting so far this series has invariably been to see off the first couple of salvos and cash in when the ball gets old and the attack tires. The thing about Sehwag is, even if he comes off and gets 80-odd, England's quicks will only be into their second or third spell with a 30-over old ball when the Indian middle order come in. Rahul Dravid offers a great deal more protection, the effect of which allowed Yuvraj to make 70-odd in the first innings at TB, the majority of which came off Graeme Swann. Defensive batting can often be so much more valuable than aggressive batting.

So if Yuvraj can score a 70 odd with Dravid why can't Sehwag?

What you are saying may be true in England to and extent, but in India and the SC it is almost completely the opposite, where Sehwag gets runs up before the ball reverses or gets old and hard to score off on abrasive slow surfaces or turn.

Also i thought his quick 30 and 20 odds in the second test in South Africa were pretty crucial and attacking knocks which gave the innings momentum in a pretty low scoring match.
I would rather have someone scoring 30 if he is going to stay out for 25 balls than scoring a 7 off the same number of balls. And if Sehwag gets going it takes pressure of the other batsman like Dravid to not get into a shell too.

 

[Flem274*]

But everyone knows an aggressive batsman is more bettererer and uber talented than a boring defensive batsman! Dravid doesn't dominate teh attackz.

 

[Uppercut]

So if Yuvraj can score a 70 odd with Dravid why can't Sehwag?

Read again, try not to completely miss the point this time.

What you are saying may be true in England to and extent, but in India and the SC it is almost completely the opposite, where Sehwag gets runs up before the ball reverses or gets old and hard to score off on abrasive slow surfaces or turn.

And?

I would rather have someone scoring 30 if he is going to stay out for 25 balls than scoring a 7 off the same number of balls.

Controversial.

 

[Cevno]

Sehwag looked terrible in South Africa. Exactly as terrible as you would expect someone to look while repeatedly trying to drive Dale Steyn through the covers in the first over of a test at Centurion. He nicked behind driving away from his body twice, spewed a catch to third man for 0, edged one to the slips and picked out mid-off trying to drive Steyn aerially. Which for some reason seems to be the one everyone remembers.

Not sure what you are referring to here. He looked that bad only in one or maybe part of 2 innings which you seem to remember and he got out cutting too IIRC.

And as for edging behind, actually Dravid got beaten defending more times than him and edged some too and looked more clueless more times(though you could say he was out of form). The conditions were that Laxman and Tendulkar who played big knocks sometimes played and missed Steyn too, and so did Kallis.

 

[Cevno]

Read again, try not to completely miss the point this time.

You said "The best strategy for batting so far this series has invariably been to see off the first couple of salvos and cash in when the ball gets old and the attack tires"

The point is that is usually the case in every series isn't it? But then Sehwag has been succesfull opening in those series in the past too and as for this series neither of the top 3 have gone to attack like Sehwag or have had the ability to do so like him. So the strategy you are referring to has been the only strategy so far this series.

2 overs of his shots coming off and someone like Stuart Broad could be completely put of line and length which benefits the rest of the batsman too even if he gets out in that spell. As it then gives them time to come in and settle first until the bowler recovers.

And?

You said -
Defensive batting can often be so much more valuable than aggressive batting.

I thought you were making a general point here. But if you were talking about this series then fair enough.

Controversial.

But hasn't it been the case for Indian openers so far this series or for the openers of both teams? If someone is going to last a certain number of balls i would rather it be Sehwag than anyone else. Even if it means him edging them over the slips for fours.

 

[Uppercut]

Aggressive batting can often be much more valuable than defensive batting too. Although everyone already appreciates that.

I don't think the England attack are going to be hit out of their rhythm in two overs. I think that's ridiculous. But we'll see.

 

[Cevno]

I don't think the England attack are going to be hit out of their rhythm in two overs. I think that's ridiculous. But we'll see.

They won't be thrown off in 2 overs for the whole innings obviously, but can see someone like Broad been thrown off his rythm for that spell(and even going back to enforcer tactics). And until he recovers even if Sehwag gets out it means the next man coming in (Dravid / Tendulkar) get time to settle or it makes it easier for his opening partner in Gambhir as all the attention is on him.

Not sure how fit or specifically match fit he is after months without cricket and a surgery,so it may be a moot point in any case this series even if he plays and opens.

 

[honestbharani]

Sehwag looked terrible in South Africa. Exactly as terrible as you would expect someone to look while repeatedly trying to drive Dale Steyn through the covers in the first over of a test at Centurion. He nicked behind driving away from his body twice, spewed a catch to third man for 0, edged one to the slips and picked out mid-off trying to drive Steyn aerially. Which for some reason seems to be the one everyone remembers.

So that is one innings out of?

 

[GotSpin]

Sorry guys, I won't accept a single criticism towards Sehwag

 

[honestbharani]

Sorry guys, I won't accept a single criticism towards Sehwag

Come on, he is not Sachin..

 

[Furball]

So that is one innings out of?

Uppercut mentions five dismissals.

 

[GIMH]

Uppercut mentions five dismissals.

Sometimes, people do all the work for you

 

[smash84]

Uppercut mentions five dismissals.

 

[weldone]

Why is he banned?

 

[honestbharani]

yeah.. and I meant the one he missed...






Ok, bad effort at the save..


My bad..



EDIT: Point I tried to make even in my earlier post is that he gets out that way even in India.. For some reason, people don't notice that.. It is just the way he plays and while he does give chances, if it is his day and he gets away with not nicking them or a few drops, he can make hay. Obviously, all this applies when he is match fit which he obviously isn't at the moment.. But still kinda daft to suggest he will have NO impact on the series if he was match fit.