Sehwag on his approach to batting

[honestbharani]

'My style is my strength' - Virender Sehwag | India Cricket News | Cricinfo.com



Credit: Cricinfo. Article originally published in The Hindu.


Gotta love Sehwag.

Originally Posted by Cricinfo

Virender Sehwag has revealed that he has no intentions of changing his aggressive style of play, irrespective of the odd failure.
"When I play a cover-drive, I play it to score runs. I don't play a shot to get out. So, if the cover-drive ends up in a catch at slip, I am spared criticism. If it ends up in the hands at covers, I am slammed. The shot attempted has remained the same, only the mode of dismissal is different," Sehwag told the Hindu.
"My style is my strength. It is my natural game. That is how I grew up and scored most of my runs. I have matured in my shot selection but will not discard my style. I don't believe in wasting balls," Sehwag said.
Sehwag thanked the India captains he has played under for their backing over the years. "I have been lucky to receive encouragement from all my captains [Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, MS Dhoni]. They have always insisted on having me in the team and that means a lot to me."
While he has scored runs at a fast clip - with strike-rates of 80.87 per 100 balls in Tests, and 103.51 in ODIs - Sehwag admitted that he has become more patient of late. "Sort of patient. Actually, I have become careful in my shot selection. I am neither over-defensive nor extra-aggressive.
"I curse myself if I get out without making a 100 after crossing 40. I love playing in the 'V'. And I remain positive even after getting out after making just two at times. I tell myself that I took guard with nothing against my name but now I have at least two," Sehwag said.
Bowling attacks have tried to work him out over the years, by denying him room outside the off stump, and by bowling short, into his body, but Sehwag has managed to find ways to score. "It is a mind game and I am good at it. I create shots to beat the field. Run-making has become tough," Sehwag said.
Sehwag said he was aware of the thin line separating success and failure, and it boiled down to how one chose to look at things. "Half empty or half full. A cover-drive for four or disaster. Praise will come when you do well. So, be prepared for brickbats when you fail. You are learning from both. Success prepares me well for the failures," he said.

[zaremba]

That's a great attitude.

[Marcuss]

I agree with Z. It is a fantastic attitude to have, though as he mentions it can only really happen if other people (your captain and selectors) keep faith in you.

[GingerFurball]

SaeedAnwar, there is absolutely no need for the type of post I've deleted. It is inflammatory rubbish that we don't want to see on CricketWeb. If you want to insult Sehwag's appearance, go to a YouTube comments section.

Keep discussion to the article only, if anyone feels the need to debate whether Sehwag could have averaged what he does in the past, there's loads of threads to dig up.

Sehwag's attitude to batting is one of the things I've always loved about him, he's got such a brilliant, uncomplicated attitude to batting.

[honestbharani]

That point about cover drive is so just so true, isn't it?

[Jayzamann]

The one thing I respect most about Viru is this exact mentality. Very refreshing, especially consdiering the knocks it brings about.

[zaremba]

What impresses me is that he has a very grounded and thoughtful perspective on the whole thing. I just love this bit:

"A cover-drive for four or disaster. Praise will come when you do well. So, be prepared for brickbats when you fail. You are learning from both. Success prepares me well for the failures"

You can think of one or two other players who had a similarly uncomplicated approach to batting but who wouldn't be able to rationalise or explain it quite so persuasively.

[jeevan]

In a different interview (also on cricinfo iirc) he has offered an opinion on why changing his style will not lead to any success. He think he does not have a great defensive technique (mentioned Tendulkar and Dravid as people who did), and so was of the opinion that he'd be out just as easily playing a defensive stroke as an attacking one and so might as well score runs.

That explanation doesn't cover the many times where he hasn't gotten out for long periods of time. But it points to success not having gone to his head.

I think of him (& SRT, Dravid, Kumble) as a zen master.

[zaremba]

Originally Posted by jeevan

I think of him (& SRT, Dravid, Kumble) as a zen master.

People call him lucky. If that's true, is it possible that this zen mentality might be part of the reason? Eg he gets dropped and doesn't let it affect him, and he can go merrily on his way to a big score, whereas another person might consciously or subconsciously be affected?

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by zaremba

People call him lucky. If that's true, is it possible that this zen mentality might be part of the reason? Eg he gets dropped and doesn't let it affect him, and he can go merrily on his way to a big score, whereas another person might consciously or subconsciously be affected?

He strikes me as someone who won't be overthinking things out in the middle and who'll probably be in his own wee bubble in between deliveries, which is probably the ideal way to approach the mental side of batting.

[Neil Pickup]

There is something that's almost primordially barbaric about the way he launches into every shot he plays - never the kind of player to die wondering, to borrow commentator speak. How many times does he spoon a half-shot somewhere? It's either a blinding catch or a total miscue, with a truckload of runs in between. It's fearless, if only I could bottle it and give it to kids who panic about getting out so much they block and "no" their way to 53-ball 5s...

[Shri]

If we have a side solely made of match winners. He would be the first opener I pick without doubt.

I would also then proceed to place a bet on this thread becoming dog crap in 2 days.

[Avada Kedavra]

Great article,very enjoyable read.

[Spark]

I love his attitude.

[vic_orthdox]

To me: he's about as close as you get to a guy who can make each delivery an independent event. He doesn't worry about what has gone on before, what the bowler is doing, etc. He just sees the ball and hits it every time it comes towards him, managing to remove any other mental issue from his mind.

Not many other people have that gift.