Sehwag tears into Pak attack, on 228 and still very hungry

On Sehwag’s way to the fifth fastest double century ever, Sachin Tendulkar kept reminding him of the enormity of his opportunity. ‘‘Aapko khade rehna hai,’’exhorted the Little Master. ‘‘Play your own shots. Don’t manufacture shots.’’

The day closed with India comfortably placed at 356 for the loss of Akash Chopra and Rahul Dravid’s wickets, and Sehwag still hungry for more, to add to his 228, and Tendulkar crafting a tempered 60.

Sunday was a milestone for Sehwag not because he swept ahead of Sanjay Manjrekar’s 218 to own the highest score against Pakistan or because he is now within cutting distance of Tendulkar’s record for the highest score (241) in an away match.

It was a rite of passage for the opener to claim a Test slot by right. For long, his explosions at the top of the order have been hailed with shrugs of let him bat while his unorthodox style clicks, never mind that he does not have the technique or temperament for a Test batsman. On Sunday, he carefully constructed his retort.

Every shot was vintage Sehwag, but in his first Test outing in Pakistan, the risky upper cut was soon expunged from his list of options. He waited for loose balls, he did not hurry himself into perilous acceleration. It did help that the pitch unrolled by the curator at the Multan Cricket Stadium, to a less than capacity crowd holding Indian and Pakistani flags, held no dangers for batsmen.

It assisted the fast bowlers with little bounce or swing, which often undoes Sehwag’s high left elbow action and his speedy swishes of the bat. After days of speculation, the grass visible two days ago was shaved off, to everyone’s bewilderment.

The contours of the day were visible from Shoaib Akhtar’s first delivery. He began his fast and furious run-up — not quite kicking off the sightscreen but way beyond the sponsor’s logo nonetheless — hair flapping in a surprisingly cool breeze and his knees folding completely in the delivery stride. It was easily played off for a couple by Chopra. It never got any easier for the bowlers after that.

They toiled and they worked up pace, with Shoaib hitting 95 miles per hour, but did not trouble the batters. The pitch did not do any favours for Saqlain Mushtaq too. He last played a Test at this very ground against Bangladesh in September 2003, and his return to the Pakistan squad did not live up to expectations.

It’s been rumoured that he has worked on teesra, he is too skilled a spinner to be put to pasture. Let not the sorry inclusion of five no-balls and an economy rate of 5.35 in his figures be the beginning of an epitaph. Saqlain has over the years needed careful nurturing of his confidence. After Multan Day One the challenge lies with the Pakistan dressing room as much as it does with him.

Sehwag’s self-belief, on the other hand, was evident in his waiting game. At the Boxing Day Test match at Melbourne, his surrender while on 195 was seen to be typical of him. He will play his shots, they said, with no care whether he gets out or not. Today, he played out nine dot-balls before seizing on a loose ball to take him from 199 to 201.

For this uncharacteristicly cautious Sehwag, the elements smiled their approval. A cloud had enveloped the field in a welcome shade, but withdrew to give the sun full view of his double century celebrations. (He did once offera chance to Saqlain when he was on 68, but was grassed by Sami at mid-wicket.)

‘‘It was the best innings of my Test career,’’ he said later. ‘‘At 199, I was waiting for a loose ball.’’ The memory of the Melbourne, he noted, kept him watchful. But was he nervous? ‘‘If I was nervous,’’ he replied in what has to be one of the most spirited post-match briefings by an Indian player, ‘‘I would have got out.’’

His innings was layered with a variety of strokes both sides of the wicket. As the day progressed, he routinely kept playing straighter ahead in the V and embellishing his wagonwheel with some flicks played extremely fine. His favourite, he said, was an on-drive played to extra cover.