Viru way has many fans
Virender Sehwag will become the ninth Indian batsmen to reach 100th Test milestone when he steps in on to field here in the second Test against England on Friday. The others are Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly.
Some of his team-mates and former colleagues shared experiences of playing alongside and against a maverick batsman, who will forever be remembered as a path-breaker.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni: The crucial decision of his career was when he decided to open the innings. He is someone who is very different from everyone else, because he’s someone who can play his shots from the very first delivery.
When it comes to Viru, you need a bit more time to understand him. All those who have shared the dressing room with him realise that his mindset is very different. He is very positive and bats with instinct. It doesn’t matter if the wicket is turning or seaming. He only looks to score runs. It is the mindset that helps you get back into the game.
Harbhajan Singh: It’s a fantastic achievement for any cricketer to play 100 Tests. Obviously, Viru has been fantastic for years now. He’s a pure match-winner.
It’s good to see a batch-mate reaching the milestone, and we have known each other from the under-16 days. He’s fearless. I have not seen many batsmen who can destroy an attack as he can in modern cricket. The way he approaches the game is something very different from others, he likes to dominate, and before bowlers get to him he loves to show his presence in the middle. That’s what Viru is all about. He knows what works for him. He can’t be a Rahul Dravid or a VVS Laxman.
As a person, he’s very relaxed, someone who believes that friendship is very important. He’s basically, a proper jaat, very upfront. That’s his quality. He will say whatever is there in his mind.
Shane Warne: To play a 100th Test match you got to have a lot of things going for you besides having natural talent. You got to have commitment and dedication.
He is probably the most dangerous batsman in the world along with Pietersen. I know a lot of people doubted him when he first came into the side. He's been going through a bit of a form slump, and it's great to see him back, smashing all the attacks.
