‘That was like me’

That same aggresive style of going for the bowling from the first ball and taking chances whether on 1 or 201 has marked out the similarities. No wonder, when approached at tea today, Slater was happy with things.

‘‘Outstanding and very good to watch,’’ said Slater in his first reaction to Sehwag’s triple hundred. What impressed Slater was the way Sehwag starts his innings. ‘‘I like the way he starts, it was so much like me.’’

About the innings specifically, Slater noted that the Indian opener’s concentration was another factor that drew his attention. ‘‘He was good at batting for long periods. Especially the way he capitalised on the chances and moved from 200 to 300. It was outstanding for someone so aggressive.’’

In his Test match career Slater, like Sehwag, was criticised by the experts being too carefree while playing. And today, on the other side of the fence, Slater batted for Sehwag. ‘‘I don’t believe he should think too much about all this. He should play naturally. As he grows older, he will temper his own game. That is only natural.’’

Slater also cited an example of a Test at Delhi in 1996 when he slashed off a ball that may have been called a wide even in a Test match while playing ex-Indian paceman David Johnson.

‘‘You see, that’s the way we are, instinctive and like to hit even if it’s the first ball. We are used to playing more shots than anyone else.’’

Finally, ask Slater about the six that Sehwag hit to move from 295 to 301, over the deep long-on fence off Saqlain Mushtaq. ‘‘It was something I always tried to do. I was very impressed with that. Obviously it required a lot of courage. But he backed himself to hit it over that area.’’