ddb wrote:braveneutral wrote:ddb wrote:braveneutral wrote:All that innings was, the first time he applied himself since the world cup. Meh. All he's done recently in tests is taint his record that had kinks in it anyway.
Indeed, but to say that he is gone as a player is a bit much. Viru averages over 50 in Tests still which is good for an opener.
Test career averages
Viru: 50.93.
Strauss: 41.98.
Katich: 45.03.
Smith: 49.42.
Gayle: 41.63.
Ok, he has had a bad chunk but that is impressive viewing all things considered...
I think he's gone as an opener, you can give him his wish to play the middle order. He had a chance to prove this year, he could play in Aus/SA/Eng. If he had, he would have been a great in all eyes. He didn't. Is it a coincidence that we had no settled openers in England and lost. Had one successful opener in SA and drew. Had none in Aus and got thrashed?
Sachin and Dravid have been opening the innings basically.
Exactly my thoughts.Its not just that he has done poorly.He has looked thoroughly out of his depth.Still a remarkable player of spin bowling and should continue to do well in the subcontinent.I reiterate not a FTB but he is basically clueless when the pitches help seamers.TB 02 and Melbourne 03/04 are exceptions of course but as they say one swallow(or two in this case) doesnt make a summer.
Dont get me wrong.On song,Sehwag is a sight to behold and I have enjoyed watching him play over the years(apart from that 83 in Chennai against us which cost us the victory
) but anyone who is seriously suggesting that he is an All Conditions batsman is mistaken I am afraid.People can always quote those one or two innings to suggest that he can play everywhere but I prefer looking at overall records in those conditions.Or else it would mean Jason Gillespie was capable of scoring big hundreds because he scored one double hundred?Ok I know it is a poor example but I hope people get the point.Sehwag has always had the natural talent (i.e. hand eye coordination,etc) to score runs everywhere.But the fact is his technique isnt quite there.He has a good defense but a person with so little feet movement will always find it difficult to do well in seaming conditions.But he could still have managed if he had the temperament of a say,Dravid.The thing with Sehwag though is that he often struggles to find a balance between attack and defense in these conditions.If Sehwag plays his natural game then there is next to no chance of him doing well in these conditions.But that doesnt mean he should play too defensively and go into a shell the way he did at Perth and also at Cape Town in the 2nd innings last year.In Durban,England,Melbourne and Sydney he was too attacking.At CT and Perth he went into a shell.In the first innings at Centurion he tried to slog Dale Steyn in the third over of the match on a green topped pitch.How can you expect to succeed that way?There has to be a proper balance between the two.Sachin is a case in point.Sehwag cannot be a blocker but at the same time he cant just walk in and start thrashing form ball one and expect to succeed.The only time he looked comfortable against the new ball was at Centurion in the 2nd innings and The Oval in the 2nd innings(but lets be honest,there wasnt much left in the pitch in the seamers by then and no,I am not making assumptions.Agree?)I have actually watched him bat).And ironically on both the occasions he got out to the opposition spinners.Got a beauty from Swann but the way he threw his wicket away against Paul Harris in the 2nd innings at Centurion was disappointing as he had looked good till then and could have possibly saved the match for India.But whenever there has been help for the seamers he has struggled.I think even them most ardent Sehwag fan would admit that his fifty at Melbourne was one of his strickiest and worst fifties you have seen and that he struggled.People say his reflexes are gone and whilst that might be the case how did he manage to score an ODI double hundred on a flat pitch?Do his reflexes upon the nature of the pitch?I dont think so.So I dont think its a case of him being too old although he has probably struggled more than he has previously,on seaming pitches,that is.So age could be a bit of a factor.But its not the only reason behind his failures.Its not as if he was a good player in swing/seam conditions previously(one or two knocks notwithstanding).So Sehwag in other words is a player whose success depends on the conditions.Certainly not a FTB but I cant possibly imagine how he can be termed as a true All time great in world.He is a great Indian player though but not a true All time great.Sachin and Dravid are true All time greats IMO.VVS has always done well in tough conditions but consistency hasnt been his strongest point.He probably needed to score a bit more in easy situations as well to be called a true All time great but I rate him above Sehwag.
Gambhir to me was mighty impressive in SA.He hasnt had a great past year but should DEFINITELY be persevered with as an opener.Unlike Sehwag,he has time on his side.IMO Sehwag should open in the subcontinent but not outside it but you dont want different openers for different conditions as that should be a settled position so Sehwag should consider permanently moving down the order to give Mukund a run at the top.I am sure that he has always said that he wants to bat at 4 and he should get his wish once Sachin retires.Until then,he could bat at 5.
I agree with what Grey and GG have said about Mukund.He deserves more chances I guess as technical flaws can always be corrected by a young player.More importantly,though,he has the temperament which is something a guy like Vijay doesnt have.I think Mukund could be given a go opening alongside Gambhir.
Gambhir
Mukund
Rahane
Sachin(long term,Sehwag and Kohli move one spot up and Rohit at 6)
Sehwag
Kohli
Dhoni
Ashwin
Zak
Ishant/Ojha
Yadav
Thoughts?
