The BAT behind the RECORD

Watching Virender Sehwag bat, one often gets the impression that there’s not much thought that goes into the whole exercise. Stand and ...

Watching Virender Sehwag bat, one often gets the impression that there’s not much thought that goes into the whole exercise. Stand and deliver, no different technique for different pitches or bowlers, practically no footwork.

However, there is method in the apparent madness. The 309 — and the ODI knocks before that — were scored with a bat specially developed after the team returned from Australia. And Sehwag went to Pakistan having made the necessary changes to his batting style.

It’s a complex change, says Jatin Sareen of SS (Sunridges, Sareen Sports), who manufacture bats for Sehwag. Speaking from his office in Meerut, Sareen told The Indian Express: ‘‘After he came back from Australia, we met and discussed the possibility of making a bat that gave him more wood in the middle of the bat, would be lighter, and better balanced. So now he is using a 1200-gram bat (against his usual 1225-1230 gm bat) with wood picked up from lower in the bat to behind the sweet spot.’’

The change didn’t come up arbitrarily. Sehwag’s coach in Delhi Amar Nath Sharma explains: ‘‘Sehwag brought back a similar bat given to him by Ricky Ponting. It was something that Viru found easier to use. After I saw it, we discussed the matter and decided to go ahead with it. He worked out at the nets here and was happy with the change. It was only then, and after adapting to the change in feel, that he decided to use them in Pakistan.’’

But what exactly would more meat in the middle do? And wouldn’t it weaken some other part of the bat?

Sharma answers: ‘‘The main reason for using a bat like this is that not too many bowlers these days pitch the ball up to you, because not many bowlers swing the ball much. It’s usually short of length and would ordinarily hit the bat higher up. Yes, a forceful shot hit with the bottom of the bat, now comparatively weaker, could cause the bat to break, but this makes the bulge of the bat — behind the sweet spot — much stronger.’’

As Sehwag found out, this is a model of bat that Australians have used rather successfully over the past few years. And an Indian bat manufacturer who makes bats for most Australians admits that most Australians prefer bats with more meat in the middle than ordinary. Useful in the bouncier pitches Down Under where the ball wouldn’t ordinarily hit the toe of the bat.

Story continues below this ad

And Sehwag wasn’t the only one requesting Sareen for a change. So did Saurav Ganguly. ‘‘When Dada played the ODIs, he seemed to be comfortable with the slightly lighter bats he got made before going to Pakistan. They weighed 1270 grams compared to his usual 1300 gram willows,’’ says Sareen.

Evidently then, there is more to Sehwag’s use of his cleaver than a wild sense of adventure. There’s a great deal of thought, and an attempt to keep improving and making himself better. 309 is better enough of course. Or is it?