Sehwag attacks fellow batsmen for defeat

[FaaipDeOiad]

http://aus.cricinfo.com/link_to_data...31MAR2005.html

Interesting stuff here. I think he's on the money of course with regard to the Indian tactics and the fact that they cost India a chance at winning the series, but the way it is phrased (and the headline on cricinfo!) might ruffle a few feathers. Saying that "I felt I was the only batsman capable of scoring at 4 an over" does come across as a touch arrogant, considering he plays with the likes of Tendulkar and Laxman who can certainly score at a fair click if necessary.

[Robertinho]

Yeah I just read that. That's a giant boast, and I think his criticisms were slightly unfair. Very arrogant I felt.

"Virender Sehwag has said that he was the only batsman capable of leading India to a win in the third Test against Pakistan at Bangalore. In his syndicated column, he has also criticised his fellow batsmen for playing for a draw."

[masterblaster]

As an Indian Supporter and a Sehwag appreciator I must say this is rather arrogant.

[Mr Casson]

I read his comments and loved them.

The thing is though, it's entirely possible that his comments were true; but when he says it, it's arrogant...

[Arjun]

He's probably just sick of his team not winning tournaments.....

[chaminda_00]

I don't think it is good form to have a go at your team mates like that. his probably right, but this thoughts should be kept to him and published in his newspaper column. You shouldn't publicly attack your team mates like that, it not good for team morale.

[PAKMAN]

Originally Posted by Mr Casson

I.

The thing is though, it's entirely possible that his comments were true; but when he says it, it's arrogant...

agreed

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by chaminda_00

I don't think it is good form to have a go at your team mates like that. his probably right, but this thoughts should be kept to him and published in his newspaper column. You shouldn't publicly attack your team mates like that, it not good for team morale.

Agreed. I think he's right, but it was rather inappropriate to say it in such a way. If it slipped out in an interview fine, but to write a column just to say it is poor form.

[lord_of_darkness]

The thing is though, it's entirely possible that his comments were true; but when he says it, it's arrogant...

I don't think it is good form to have a go at your team mates like that. his probably right, but this thoughts should be kept to him and published in his newspaper column. You shouldn't publicly attack your team mates like that, it not good for team morale

Too True..

[Sanz]

Pointing fingers is very easy, If Sehwag really knew that he was only batsman "Capable of scoring 4 an over" then why did he throw his wicket by getting himself runout.

[SJS]

It was in poor taste.

I know Sehwag doesnt write himself. He has someone write his thoughts for him. I hope he was not misunderstood by his ghost writer. It came out badly though and we have not heard the last of this I am sure.

[sledger]

whether sehwag said made these stupid remarks or not, it will only now have a negative atmosphere on team morale and performance, it may also distract ehwag from his batting and worsen the situation even further,

what i would love to see now is for tendulkar and dravid to go out and both put on match winning centuries in the next ODI whilst sehwag is bowled out for 0 will completely serve him right imo, comments such as these have no place in civilised sports, they are completely against the nature of the game and very un-sporting

[Dasa]

Originally Posted by chaminda_00

I don't think it is good form to have a go at your team mates like that. his probably right, but this thoughts should be kept to him and published in his newspaper column. You shouldn't publicly attack your team mates like that, it not good for team morale.

Exactly... very disappointing comments.

[Vroomfondel]

What?!? Has anyone even read the comments? I don't think he "bashed" or "had a dig at" or "blasted" anyone. He spoke like he bats -- without the nonsense. If you want to hear diplomacy and correctness and endless, meaningless cliches please talk to Rahul Dravid.

I don't know how anyone can doubt that he is a complete team man. He said the same things he's saying now when he got out at 190-odd in Australia and didn't ensure an Indian win. I don't know what these people at cricinfo are smoking, or what their agenda is...but please read the article and not the spin that these morons put on it...

http://sify.com/sports/columns/fulls...hp?id=13706068 -- look at the sify headline, does it say "sehwag makes tandoori chicken out of fellow batsmen?" or anything of the like?

Do you see him blaming Gambhir for his run-out? Do you see him bashing Ganguly for his lack of form? Quite the contrary, he's supporting them through and through. But of course, that doesn't make for sensationalism.

It’s always a cliché for players to say that personal awards mean nothing to them when the team has not done well.

Even before I started out at this level, I would often see players say this to interviewers.

However, the true meaning of that statement came home to me on Monday, when India lost shockingly owing to just one bad session of cricket.I was Man of the Series, but I could barely manage a smile, because we had ‘lost’ the series.

The scoreline at the end of three Tests reads 1-1, but for a team as strong as ours, a drawn series is as bad as a lost one. I do not mean any disrespect to the Pakistan team, but they are an inexperienced side and were struggling with their bowling attack. We scored 400-plus in every innings of the series, only to keel over in the final session.

My disappointment is even more acute because it was not a bad pitch to play on if you were proactive and ready to go for your shots. This is why Anil Kumble looked confident at the crease right till the end.

I was disappointed at not batting till lunch on day four in the first innings, because I felt that it would have put our team in a really strong position. Even in the second innings, I felt very confident after we had negotiated the first 30 minutes of the fifth morning.

A batsman’s confidence is always boosted by a good score in his last innings, and I was feeling pretty invincible when I came out to bat in the second innings. I was planning to create history by leading India to an improbable win and my plan was to occupy the crease till tea because I knew that if I batted the first two sessions, we would be in a winning position. I actually recall feeling that the bowlers would not get me out and that the only way I would get out was either through a really bad shot or through a run out.

Eerily enough, the run out happened a few minutes later. I was really upset at that point because I knew that my dismissal meant that we would not win. I saw myself as the only batsman who could score at four-plus an over since the rest of our batsmen are more correct and conventional Test cricketers.

In my mind I felt that the rest would be able to draw the game but I was the only one capable of winning it. I thought that a draw was inevitable, which is why I have no explanation for our defeat.

Perhaps playing for a draw was not such a good idea since most of our batsmen are cast in the stroke-playing mould. Even at tea, the general mood was that we would scratch out a draw.

The possibility of defeat only dawned on us when Sachin Tendulkar got out. There were still 20 overs left and we knew that the remaining three wickets would not be able to play out so much time with umbrella fields in operation.

It was a truly disappointing game, and it is important that we all learn lessons from it but also shake off the despondency fast. It’s great that the squad disbanded immediately after the game because post mortems rarely serve any purpose.

We will reassemble tomorrow, and gear up for the fresh challenge of the one-dayers. Our captain is always very positive at the first team meeting before a one-day series and I’m sure he will not be different tomorrow.

I know that Sourav Ganguly is under a lot of pressure, particularly after the collapse at Bangalore. However, I have always found Sourav to be a positive captain, right from the time I made my debut under him. W

hatever his personal form, whatever the media writes about him, he has always been strong, focussed and aggressive at team meetings. Perhaps these are the qualities that make him India’s most successful captain ever, a fact that we must not forget even when we are disappointed.

This article drips of positivity, much like Sehwag. I was actually pretty relieved that the Indian team had their act together and were thinking right. Astounding bit of Journalism from this "cricinfo staff" fellow, whoever he is.

[Deja moo]

Sehwag has everything spot on.

I cant see how anyone who had read the piece could have labelled it as arrogance.