Saeed Anwar vs. Virender Sehwag

[honestbharani]

Yea. IND first innings was the only innings of the series where the AUS pace trio had to toil for wickets in a series where they owned INDs top order.

The way how Dizzy/Martyn partnership stood up proves how the pitch had flattened out, since the quick turn that was present on day 1 when Kumble spun through AUS was gone.


But my argument againts Sehwag is that he has never scored a hundred againts a quality pace attack in testing/bowling friendly conditions in tests. I'm holding him to the same criteria to which Hayden was judged, so until he scores a hundred in such conditions he still very much has the FTB over his head.

If the aussies cud not get wickets, it was a flat track? Aussies were BOWLED OUT on the first day, remember.. How is that a flat track? And I was there... it got better for batting as it went on, but trust me, first innings for either team was difficult coz of moiisture due to unseasonal rains and the wicket not yet played on as it was pre-season domestically.

 

[Pratters]

Saeed Anwar lasted just 55 tests which goes against him. Sehwag.

 

[aussie]

How can it be an oddity for 3 different sides?

Surely the one good result out of 4 would be the oddity?

Ha by looking at on plain stats it would seem that way. But that clearly wasn't the case.

Look at his record vs ENGfor eg. He averages 38 overall, but that clearly goes down because when he played againts us in 2000 & 2001 he was definately passed his peak. ENG never had a bowling attack in the 90s to trouble him.

Vs WI. Not sure what to make of this, he made his debut vs them & failed, no disgrace for youngster to fail againts them. Then in 97he wasn't that prolific in a 3 test series.

Vs SA.Again not sure what to make of this since i never saw any of these series. But he did very well in SA in 97/98 the same year 10 mothns later when he did well vs AUS. So that sort of tells me at his best he handled the SA pace quiet well.

Overall though as i mentioned before, i saw him bat brilliantly VS Aus over 6 tests againts. If you can score runs vs those bowlers, no issue.

If the aussies cud not get wickets, it was a flat track? Aussies were BOWLED OUT on the first day, remember.. How is that a flat track?

And I was there... it got better for batting as it went on, but trust me, first innings for either team was difficult coz of moiisture due to unseasonal rains and the wicket not yet played on as it was pre-season domestically.

I wasn't at ground like you of course. But i saw all 4 days live & i would disagree with that assesment. After the day 1, the pitch flattened from day 2. Warne did not get that sharp turn that Kumble & Bahji got on the first day & the quicks weren't getting any reverse swing with the old ball.

So the quicks in that innings unlike the rest of that series didn't get any movement from the surface to expose Sehwag technically, thus he was able to play a very good innings.

 

[Xuhaib]

Anwar was unfortunate that he had only one bad patch in his career and it came right at the point where he was facing SA and WI. I do feel Anwar was a better bat but Sehwag takes it for longevity and a more well rounded record.

 

[Xuhaib]

Anwar was just phenomenal in tests against the Aussies but awful against RSA and the Windies. Was also just good and not great against England. Can't really decide if he was good against pace bowling or not with that sort of a record tbh.

Imo, he is more comparable to VVS Laxman rather than Sehwag. Two completely different types of players. Sehwag is all about reflexes and hand eye co-ordination but Anwar liked to time the ball and find gaps with orthodox strokes. Anwar was way better than Sehwag in ODIs though.

I hope you had watched his 188* against India Srinath was bowling like Ambrose on a quick pitch.Anwar was anything but weak against pace.

 

[aussie]

Saeed Anwar lasted just 55 tests which goes against him. Sehwag.

Why should it & you make 55 tests sound so little ha. G Pollock & O'Reilly played less tests than that & are considered argubaly as the greatest left-handed batsman & leg-spinner (although most will obviously chose Warne) to ever play the game.

 

[Pratters]

Why should it & you make 55 tests sound so little ha. G Pollock & Grimmett played less tests than that & are considered argubaly as the greatest left-handed batsman & leg-spinner (although most will obviously chose Warne) to ever play the game.

Anwar played far less tests compared to what he could have. As I said, he didn't last enough.

 

[subshakerz]

I echo a previous poster's point. My feeling is that if Sehwag had played in the 90s, he would be averaging around or less than Anwar, whereas Anwar would be averaging easily over 50 in the 2000s. So I dont take the difference in the records as a difference in quality.

I watched Anwar in the 90s and would definitely back him against Sehwag against quality pace. He was terrific against SA, NZ, Australia and England in their homegrounds in the mid to late 90s when the ball was moving and pitches were tougher. Against spin they are both tops.

The point in Sehwag's favor that I accept is that Anwar didnt play many tests. But Anwar's career lasted over a decade, that's enough time to judge a person IMO.

 

[aussie]

Anwar played far less tests compared to what he could have. As I said, he didn't last enough.

Dont see the logic here my friend. But even so in those 55 test Anwar has scored more runs againts quality pace attacks in testing conditions than Sehwag in his career.

Longevity doesn't mean anything in this case. Since i dont think many people would say Kumble was a better bowler than O'Reilly, because O'Reilly didn't have as good of a rounded statistical record than Kumble.

 

[Shri]

I hope you had watched his 188* against India Srinath was bowling like Ambrose on a quick pitch.Anwar was anything but weak against pace.

I didn't watch it. Was present at the stadium when he made 194 at Chennai though. Ganguly took the catch to dismiss him right before our area of the stands.

 

[Uppercut]

I'll take Sehwag thanks. Reckon he is underrated on these boards. Simply put; if he is on song, the other team can forget about winning the match.

Yeah, this for me too.

Would also like to add this innings to the long list of good Sehwag performances in difficult conditions. Ball was swinging around corners that morning.

 

[aussie]

Yeah, this for me too.

Would also like to add this innings to the long list of good Sehwag performances in difficult conditions. Ball was swinging around corners that morning.

That was a average ENG attack, they struggled to control the swing for that short period it did swing on that first morning - & Sehwag smoked them. Overall though that test pitch was flat.

 

[Agent TBY]

I'm surprised no one mentioned this knock. Even I remember it, ffs.

Wonder what Aussie will come up with this time.

 

[Uppercut]

I don't get the concept that batsmen should only be judged as test cricketers on the 1 innings every 60 or so that is played on a seaming deck against a top-class attack. Give me a player who performs for the other 59 innings, thanks. That contributes so much more to the side.

 

[aussie]

I'm surprised no one mentioned this knock. Even I remember it, ffs.

Wonder what Aussie will come up with this time.

Dont be baiting me sir. That BTW although a impressive debut hundred was a average SA attack on a flat pitch. Compared to past IND tours to SA in the 90s.

 

[Uppercut]

Hayward, Pollock, Ntini, Kallis, Klusener. Interesting definition of average.

 

[aussie]

I don't get the concept that batsmen should only be judged as test cricketers on the 1 innings every 60 or so that is played on a seaming deck against a top-class attack. Give me a player who performs for the other 59 innings, thanks. That contributes so much more to the side.

Sehwag indeed contributes to his team more often than not & will obviously go down as IND great & recognised as their best opener since Gavaskar blah blah blah. But the true test for any batsman is your ability score runs very good pace attacks in testing conditions, not just on the flat decks that are present ever so often these days.

Sehwag has not done that in his career to date. So in comparison with Anwar or any great opener, Sehwag can't compare.

 

[Agent TBY]

Hayward, Pollock, Ntini, Kallis, Klusener. Interesting definition of average.

On a pitch where he came in at 4/68 on the first morning.

I see where he is going with this though. Sehwag scored a century, so the attack automatically becomes average and the pitch flat.

 

[Pratters]

That was a average ENG attack, they struggled to control the swing for that short period it did swing on that first morning - & Sehwag smoked them. Overall though that test pitch was flat.

Sehwag played at a S/R of 57. Hardly smoking them. It was a gritty inning by Sehwag's standards.

Hoggard was in top form and wasn't spraying it. He got Dravid and Jaffer (0) out cheaply and also got Ganguly.

If ever Sehwag showed he could play swing bowling, it was in this inning.

Every time Sehwag scores, it is an average attack or a flat wicket. Very general words. You are just talking crap.

 

[Sanz]

I'm surprised no one mentioned this knock. Even I remember it, ffs.

Wonder what Aussie will come up with this time.

Not as an opener, I guess.