Virender Sehwag’s blistering unbeaten 95 was a typically characteristic innings, with plenty of runs scored in the arc between third man and extra cover
On the Ball with S Rajesh and Arun Gopalakrishnan10-Mar-2005Virender Sehwag’s blistering unbeaten 95 was a typicallycharacteristic innings, with plenty of runs scored in the arcbetween third man and extra cover. As the wagon-wheel shows, 63of his runs came in that region, while only nine came in the Vbetween mid-off and mid-on.Batsmen in control
He was especially severe on Pakistan’s new-ball bowlers, MohammadSami (22 runs off 23 balls), and Naved-ul-Hasan (35 off 35). Theone bowler who did manage to keep him somewhat shackled wasDanish Kaneria, whose 31 balls to Sehwag went for only 17 -that’s only slightly more than three runs per over. Kaneria wasalso the bowler who troubled Sehwag the most – Sehwag was not incontrol of his shots more than 22% of the time against Kaneria (7out of 31 balls), while for his entire innings that figure wasonly 15% (18 out of 121). Sehwag may have been the dazzler on anovercast day in Mohali, but his partner at close of play, RahulDravid, offered yet another impeccable exhibition of batsmanship,and clearly demonstrated why Pakistan fear him even more thanSachin Tendulkar – Dravid’s not-in-control factor was ashockingly low five percent (fours balls out of 80).Pakistanis off the mark
Pakistan’s bowlers were at the receiving end right from the startof the second day, and what was surprising was the inability oftheir fast bowlers to extract movement with the new ball – almost69% of the deliveries bowled in the first 15 overs were straightballs, allowing the batsmen to comfortably hit through the lineof the ball. In the corresponding period of Pakistan’s inningsyesterday, only 36% of the deliveries were straight, which meantthat Pakistan’s top order needed to be far circumspect aboutplaying shots.