More records beckon Sehwag

India’s only triple centurion now stands just 16 runs from outdoing the legendary Don Bradman and becoming the first ever to complete three scores in excess of 300 in Test history!

The breathtakingly compiled unbeaten 284 runs he scored on Thursday in the ongoing third and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Brabourne stadium is already a record of sorts. It is the second fastest Test double hundred, bettered only by Nathan Astle of New Zealand who had scored his double ton in 2001-02 in 153 balls to Sehwag’s 168 in his Thursday’s effort — a mere 15 deliveries more.

Betters Bradman

Yet, the Indian opener’s 284 is a record. It is the third highest score by a batsman on a single day of a Test match. Only Bradman and distinguished English batsman W Hammond had scored more runs on a single day of a Test match — 309 not out and 295 not out, respectively. But both of them had scored these runs almost 80 years ago. Significantly, both of them had taken more deliveries (and perhaps also time) than Sehwag took for his unbeaten effort.

With Sehwag, nothing can be said with any certainty though cricket itself is better known as the game of glorious uncertainties. But, should he carry his form with him to the crease on Friday, the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ not only stands a chance to become the first batsman to score three triple hundreds in Test cricket, but also beat Brian Lara’s record for the highest individual Test score of 400.

If he does, it is almost certain that he will get it much faster and with many more hits to the fence and beyond it. He has already hit 40 fours and seven sixes.

As records fell like nine pins, Sehwag batted like only he can — carefree, uninhibited and supremely entertaining while at the same time avoiding risks.

‘Exhilarating’ somehow doesn’t do justice to the Sehwag brand of batsmanship. The destroyer from Delhi transcends description, because words can seldom express the impact he has on a game of cricket when he bats like he did on Thursday.