Psychological Threat of Sehwag and how to Counter it

[Bouncer]

One of the biggest threat to Pak is the onslaught that Sehwag is capable of against Pakistani Medium pacers like Gul and Junaid - He has had a psychological upper hand over Pak medium pacers for almost a decade now and I think even though he is out of form - he is being played only because of the fear that he has been able to put in Pak medium pacers and the helplessness that he injects in the pak 11 just because of his innings of even under 50 runs.

His success is partially due to the fact that Pak attack is mostly lead by bowlers who can not perform under the pressure and Gul is specially suspect against any batsman who goes after him - gul's biggest weakness is his inability to come back after he has been taken for runs in his first couple of overs and that has been taken advantage by several teams and in particular by Indian team.

• One of the things that I can think of to counter a sehwag's onslaught is by not going after him in a way that he expects, so If I am leading the team, I would ask Gul to start around the wicket and angle the ball across from him while bringing an odd one back hoping to go through the gap between bat and pad. The balls going across him will tempt him to go for his favorite area from point to covers, the area that he has been able to just slap the ball very successfully over a decade against Pak but having Gul come around the wicket the angle would be different and the ball would not just sit up in-front of of him - the way it would if Gul bowls over the wicket.
• Second idea would be to open with Hafeez (if Raza was in the 11 I wouldnt even think about any option other than Raza). This way you are not providing Sehwag any pace to work with and in frustration and in attempt to dominate the Pakistanis which he has successfully done for a decade, he might get tempted into doing something stupid. I personally do not see Hafeez doing that because I am fully aware of the level of bravery and leadership skills (or lack thereof) that he posses.

 

[Contra]

Does it really matter? It's just a couple of ODI's lol.

And players like Sehwag are more common nowadays so a blitzy innings shouldn't surprise Pak regardless of whether it's from Sehwag or a Kohli/Raina

 

[benchmark00]

Countering his second innings onslaughts is the important factor imo.

 

[Andre]

Thread is 4 years late. Past his best.

 

[NasserFan207]

How to counter Sehwag? Bowl good lines on offstump and hold your catches.

IIRC the second part has been Pak's doom against India in recent years

 

[Burgey]

Thought this referred to a Sehwag rampage at the Christmas buffet. Now that would be intimidating.

 

[Daemon]

isn't he a vegetarian

 

[uvelocity]

Follical thread of sehwag and how to comb it

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Kick Gul out of the team. He is ****.

 

[smash84]

Thought this referred to a Sehwag rampage at the Christmas buffet. Now that would be intimidating.

 

[Bouncer]

Kick Gul out of the team. He is ****.

They havent been listening to me for last 3 years, now your turn to try to yell at them

 

[Bouncer]

Thread is 4 years late. Past his best.

In pak india game - form does matter less than one's ambition to throw the first punch - since 2004 at times Sehwag's inning's have been not consistent but IMO have been crucial to the games and as a Pakistani follower of the game - even an out of form Sehwag who steps into ground based on his belief and experiences of bullying Pak medium pacers even with a 30 odd run inning is a concern for this bowling line up lead by Gul and Tanvir and that PP made cricketer.

 

[MW1304]

Be Jimmy Anderson.

 

[Viscount Tom]

I think your worrying too much about Sehwag tbh he still capable of a good innings once a blue moon but he's not that good anymore.

 

[centurymaker]

since he's now the taking point, he'll probably deliver scores like 7, 2 ,16

 

[Daemon]

Should be worried about Kohli and Yuvraj tbh