Virender Sehwag: An open ending,says Harsha Bhogle

Of not inconsiderable importance is the fact that among the youngsters tried out in recent times,Cheteshwar Pujara,Virat Kohli,Ravichandran Ashwin,Ravindra Jadeja,Umesh Yadav and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar have all shown acceptable levels of promise and performance. Now,Murali Vijay has got a big hundred too. The temptation to look at a younger man has been rendered stronger.

His chances of being picked for Mohali and Delhi would have resided in the hope that India’s selectors wouldn’t want to change a winning combination. I have heard that thought expressed many times and quite frankly,have been baffled each time. It suggests that if the team is winning it should be happy to carry along those that are not good enough any more. No team should ever be picked on such a basis for in course of time,everyone will be entitled to be selected even if they aren’t delivering. Sehwag had to be picked based on his performance and not on that of the rest.

I suspect this omission is also an indicator that Sehwag will not be opening the batting in South Africa this November. If he was,he had to be retained but quite clearly the thinking is that the next in line must feel at home playing for India before playing an away tour. In logic,it is sound. But sadly for Sehwag,it is a tricky time to be dropped because the domestic season is over and there will be little Ranji Trophy cricket by November. To force his way back he needed games and those are not available in India.

Return to the middle

So if it seems that the opening berth is now sealed (remember Gautam Gambhir would be in line for a comeback too),is there another option? And here the picture seems a touch rosier. Sehwag hasn’t ever held back from saying that he wants a spot in the middle order.

A couple of years ago,when he was in peak form,I had to interview him after he had received Cricinfo’s Performance of the Year Award. “Surely you accept that you are now an opener,” I asked. “No,I am number four….” he started. “But number four is not leaving in a hurry,” I said with a smile eager to see his reaction. “No problem,I will wait,” he said.

We don’t know how long “number four” will play,for fitness will become a concern as time passes but if for some reason Sachin Tendulkar is not on the flight to Johannesburg,India may not have a single batsman in the top six who would have played more than 20 tests (on the assumption of course that Dhoni will be number seven on those tracks). Sehwag at number five,below Pujara and Kohli but above Rahane or Tiwary or another at number six,might be tempting for the selectors.

Much of course will depend on Sehwag’s will to continue; and its translation into a rigorous fitness regime. Players like Ricky Ponting,Rahul Dravid and Michael Hussey were extraordinarily fit as forty loomed and VVS Laxman’s great discipline and skill kept him going. Can Sehwag recall the hunger,and that extraordinary ability for hard work,again?

Age tends to dull ambition,a weary body rebels against being driven again. The Eye of the Tiger sounds good in the movies. But if he can summon the desire,there might still be some magic left. I’d love it to be so.