I will be back: Sehwag

Dropped from Test squad, opener vows to work on his game

Axed from the Indian cricket squad for the third and fourth Test against Australia, out-of-form opener Virender Sehwag on Thursday vowed to make a comeback into the national side, saying “I trust my game”.

Sehwag paid the price for a prolonged run drought as the selectors trimmed the squad to 14 and decided against picking a replacement for the right-hander, who has scored just 27 runs in his three innings during the ongoing series. 

“Will continue to work hard for my place in the team. I trust my game and am confident that, “I’ll be back”,” he wrote on his Twitter page.

He also wished good luck to the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side for the remainder of the series, which the hosts are leading 2-0 after crushing victories in the first two Tests in Chennai and Hyderabad.

“Best wishes to the team,” Sehwag wrote.

Sehwag had failed to fire in five consecutive Tests after getting a hundred in the opening game of the home series against England at Ahmedabad in November-December last year.

He was unable to score even a half-century in two home Tests against New Zealand. During India’s last overseas tour, in Australia, Sehwag scored just 198 runs in eight innings.

Sunny bats for Viru

Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar feels that Virender Sehwag could have been given another chance keeping in mind the batting-friendly pitch in Mohali, which will host the third Test against Australia from March 14. 

“The ball comes onto the bat nicely in Mohali and Sehwag likes to bat on such surfaces. So, I think he could have been given a chance in Mohali for the third Test,” Gavsakar said on Thursday.

Gavaskar is of the opinion that the out-of-form Sehwag would stage a comeback.
“I don’t think this is the end of the road for him. He has got a 100 at the start of the season against England, scored a couple of 50s. I think it’s just the perception, the way he goes about his cricket.

I don’t think he is totally out of form,” Gavaskar told a television channel.

Further defending Sehwag, the former great said the Delhi player was not “totally” out of form and was not throwing his wicket away.

“I don’t think he is totally out of form. He is getting out to terrific deliveries. He got out to a beauty in Hyderabad while in Chennai, the extra pace got the better of him,’’ Gavaskar said.  Asked if Sehwag could be slotted in the middle-order in future, Gavaskar said, “With his experience, he would be useful batting at number 5-6, especially in countering the second new ball.” However, former Australia batsman, Dean Jones felt it would be difficult for Sehwag to make a comeback. 

“It’s going to be difficult for him to make a comeback. I am starting to worry for him now and, with the South Africa series coming up, it’s not going to be easy,’’ he added.