Ask us, we've been belted by Sehwag
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Bowling greats admit Sehwag fear factor
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Saqlain Mushtaq (Before the Multan Test in
2003-04, Saqlain enjoyed a stellar run against
India -- 24 wickets from three Tests with four
five-wicket hauls. But Saqlain didn't have to
contend with Sehwag during those three Tests.
The Multan Test was the last time Saqlain
represented Pakistan, finishing with figures of
1-204 from 43 overs. Sehwag's 309-run blitzkrieg
was, in a way, responsible for ending his
international career.)
"What happed at Multan was unfortunate for me
on a personal level.
But what he did there -- getting 100, 200 and 300
with sixes -- proved to me that he was not an
ordinary player. The sort of concentration he
possesses, the fact that he doesn't fear any
bowler, his positive attitude, I truly salute him as a modern day great. I must admit that he put some fear in me (while I was bowling). I like him a lot, and appreciate his game. I am a big fan of his.
In my defence, I had not practiced for close to six
months before that Multan Test. I was playing
with pain-killing injections. I always got pleasure
while bowling against players like Sachin
(Tendulkar) and Brian (Lara). I put Sehwag in that
same category after that Multan Test.
Unfortunately, the powers-that-be didn't want me
to bowl to him ever again. As you know, my
career ended with that Test. I regret that I could
never bowl to him again. But that's how life is.
The knock he played today (against West Indies)
was special and only he could have done
something like this.
---------- Post added at 10:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:06 PM ----------
Chaminda Vaas (This retired Sri Lankan seamer
was at the other end when Sehwag blasted 201
runs off 231 balls in the 2008 Galle Test. Sehwag
remained unbeaten and became only the second
Indian after Sunil Gavaskar to carry his bat
through a Test innings. Later, in the 2008 Asia
Cup final -- Vaas witnessed Sehwag blast 60 runs
off just 36 balls. That was their last encounter).
Chaminda Vaas
"Oh, what can I say about this genius. I bowled a
lot to Sachin (Tendulkar), Azhar (Mohammed
Azharuddin) and other Indians, but I found
nobody more difficult to stop. When he gets
going, he's got the calibre to score big hundreds.
He's never satisfied. He's a player who can make
a lot of runs in whatever format or conditions. I
think it's become easier to score a double (ton) in
ODIs now with powerplay rules, but I don't want
to take any credit away from him. As a bowler,
you need to have patience against him as he's
always trying to dominate.
I used to try and bowl in the same spot for six
balls in a row, bowl wicket-to-wicket, but you
can't do that against Sehwag. I have managed to
get him out many times, but I was lucky.
Wherever I bowled, he managed to find ways to
score. His batting has improved recently because
he plays more through the leg-side. I want to
congratulate him for his fantastic double ton. It
will give more bowlers around the world
nightmares now (laughs). The only way to get
him is in the first few overs.
Makhaya Ntini (This retired South African pacer
actually had the wood on Sehwag on many
occasions during the Test rubbers in 2001-02 and
2006-07. But all that was erased from his
memory during Sehwag's triple century against
South Africa at Chennai in 2008. He conceded 128
runs from just 28 overs but guess who removed
Sehwag for 319?)
Makhaya Ntini
"He's simply one of the best I have bowled to. It's
particularly not easy to bowl to him on flat
wickets. He can destroy you and leave you
demoralised. As a bowler, there's not a lot you
can try, especially if the pitch is flat. If there is
some movement in the air or extra bounce, you
can do some things. But world cricket is full of flat
tracks today, and that's why a batsman like him
becomes more dangerous. During that triple
hundred at Chennai, we tried everything.
I remember Dale (Steyn) and I went around-the-
wicket, and tempted him with wide balls, with
fielders in catching positions, and still he kept
finding ways to score through his pads. In the
end, I was happy to dismiss him. Though he got
319, it was still a wicket. I am happy that he has
got a one-day double century. He's a great bloke.
Though he shows no respect to bowlers on the
field, he's a fantastic person and person. Cheers,
Viru."
Shaun Pollock (This retired South African great
had many fascinating battles against Sehwag.
When Sehwag scored Test century on debut at
Bloemfontein in 2001-02, it was Pollock who clean
bowled him on both occasions. However, he
rarely dismissed Sehwag in the final few years of
his career. Who can ever forget Sehwag's 62-ball
77 against South Africa at Bangalore in November
2005?)
Shaun Pollock
"To be honest, when he crossed 130-odd, I had a
feeling that he was going to get it. I haven't been
watching a lot of cricket, but I actually saw this
match. It was a phenomenal knock, one of the
best knocks in one-day cricket. I wouldn't say he
put a fear factor in me while I was bowling but
definitely he's someone that made me think as a
bowler.
Pollock collides with Sehwag during the 2004
Kanpur Test. Pic/Getty
Images
When he scored that 319 against us at Chennai,
he scored so many runs in unconventional areas
where you don't see batsmen scoring in Test
matches. I remember he played lot of reverse-
sweeps and kept generating unique ways of
scoring. I was glad to have retired by then, but
did bowl to him a lot before. He's a champion
batsman. Definitely someone who puts bowlers
on the back foot... I am not surprised that it's
Sehwag who has broken the record of another
great Sachin Tendulkar"
Y