SEHWAG : BACK TO BUSINESS

Virender Sehwag

What happens when your team boasts of the most dangerous batsman in modern day cricket, yet you see no glimpse of him in major series one after the other because of a severe injury ?

Well, that is what Team India was going through for the past couple of months when it had to sacrifice its vice-captain Virender Sehwag for three consecutive ODI series against Australia (at home), New Zealand(at home) and South Africa(away) respectively. It was a bit difficult to digest the fact that Viru, as he is fondly called, was in his prime form during the Test Series (against Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand) but unfortunately had to miss out on the shorter format of the game due to a shoulder injury.

But 'all is well' now with this blistering batsman, who is as desperate to occupy the opening batting slot for the team as his fans and lovers. Sehwag, without any shade of doubt, will be back to doing what he does best-take the attack to the opposition. He will obviously be partnering 'Master Blaster' Sachin Tendulkar, who also had to give the remaining three games of the India South Africa ODI Series a miss.

Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag

The Indian team, after a gap of almost two years, will find their regular openers in the form of Sehwag and Tendulkar. It was very important for the team to open batting with their regular top-order batsmen in a tournament as important as the World Cup. Gautam Gambhir, will of course be expected to come as first down.

"I was feeling some pain in my shoulder," Sehwag told Indian news channel CNN-IBN. "So I thought it was better to quit the SA ODI Series. I didn't want to get injured in SA tour and miss the World Cup. So I came back and then went to Germany to see a couple of doctors. I got a couple of injections and now I'm fine.

"I am going to the National Cricket Academy (in Bangalore) and will spend a couple of days there, to check everything- if I can bowl and throw also but if I can't, then I'll let them know. But yes, at the moment I am fully fit.

Sehwag's injury was a bit let down for the team and all those crazy lovers of the game. The news that he will not be a part of the ODI Series against the Proteas shattered people like me a hell lot. The main worry was not that he was out of the SA ODI series but the fact that whether he would be able to play himself in for the World Cup. Including him or not was not a choice but a compulsion in any case. He is one player amongst few others, who picks himself up for any series, big or small.

The presence of Sehwag also gives captain MS Dhoni an extra bowling option. Although he would not prefer to use his deputy as a regular bowler, he can definitely rely on him to chip in with some useful overs during the middle overs of the game.

Let us all hope and pray that we get to see the 'Virender Sehwag' we have known for years - the aggressive, blistering right-handed batsmen who is a firm believer of 'Attack is the best form of defence' policy.

Source of Pictures: Google Images.