Viru looks skywards, for rain
Galle, July 21: As much as anyone else, Virender Sehwag is hoping for rain on the final day. “Fantastic that we are getting a result even after losing a day, but it is bad for India. We are on the wrong side unless V.V.S. Laxman can play well tomorrow. We are hopeful of rain at some point tomorrow,” said Sehwag after close on the fourth day of the first Test here on Wednesday.
Laxman and M.S. Dhoni have pulled India out of a hole in the past. Sehwag believed it was not beyond the duo. “I think we can save the game. If you look at the last Test we played against South Africa, they both got hundreds. Laxman and Rahul Dravid did that against Australia in 2001, so we have to believe,” noted Sehwag.
India incidentally lost the first Test of the series in Sri Lanka both in 2001 and 2008.
The track has not deteriorated and looks a good one to bat on. Keeping wickets in hand was the key. Sehwag’s shot selection left a lot to be desired, but the first-innings centurion defended his choices. “The cut is my scoring shot. If you look at the 7,000 runs that I have made, more than 3,000 runs have come with that. I will continue to play the same way,” said Sehwag who was dismissed by Welegedera in both innings.
Sehwag also extended his defence to his teammates. “Everybody is aware of that but you can’t control certain things in the middle. Sometimes you play a shot and get away. Everybody has played enough matches. It happens in cricket,” explained Sehwag who also gave credit to Sri Lanka’s bowlers for maintaining a tight line.
The Indian attack was the weak link but the vice-captain was in no mood to accept that. And the difference when India came out to bat was the unsettling pace of Lasith Malinga, Sehwag was not ready to buy that too. “I don’t think sighting him was a problem. No one was complaining. We are used to playing against him in the IPL and ODIs.”
Muralitharan recorded his 67th five-wicket haul and the off-spinner was as special as he has ever been, said Sehwag. “He is the most difficult bowler I have ever faced and continues to be that way as you don’t know what the ball is doing. You can’t plan against him, no surprise that a great bowler is finishing on a good note.”
The postmortems will begin if India are unable to force a highly unlikely draw on the final day. The top-order failed to play for time. “Everybody has played that. Not once but many times. They have played more than four sessions too, including Dhoni,” concluded Sehwag.
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