Matthew Hayden was a batsman of rare ability and Australia will struggle to find a suitable replacement for the retired left-hander, said India opener Virender Sehwag.
Senior Delhi Daredevils batsman Virender Sehwag batted for around 25 minutes during the team's net session as pacer Morne Morkel hinted that the batsman might just be ready to play his first match of the sixth edition of Indian Premier League.
India openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag moved in opposite directions in the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after their contrasting performances against New Zealand in the Wellington Test which ended in a draw on Tuesday.
Captain Anil Kumble said India are also toying with adding an extra seamer for the notoriously fast WACA pitch.
He will be among 2,500 people, including eminent bureaucrats, top police officials, noted journalists, politicians and diplomatic corps, who will gather on the picturesque lawns of Rashtrapati Bhavan for the 'At Home' function.
The swashbuckling opener gives the Aussies no chance if the four Tests in the upcoming series are played on spin-friendly tracks.
Virender Sehwag's patchy form continued but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni still believes that the senior opener should be given more time to get back to form as he is a match-winner.
Former India captain Rahul Dravid has said that the national selectors must take a call on whether to continue with struggling Virender Sehwag as an opener in the Test series in South Africa later this year or give someone else a chance.
Opener Virender Sehwag on Friday became the ninth Indian cricketer to complete a century of Test appearances when he took the field in Mumbai in the second match of the ongoing series against England.
Out of favour India opener Virender Sehwag pulled out of Delhi's Vijay Hazare Trophy North Zone leg match against Himachal Pradesh in New Delhi amid speculation that the decision was prompted by poor form.
Batting superstar Virat Kohli admitted that the aggressive Australian cricketing environment tested his resilience, but felt that standing up to it while playing a bold brand of cricket toughened his mind and shaped his career path, besides influencing his growth as an individual.
India master blaster Virender Sehwag and champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar are the biggest movers in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Player Rankings after splendid performances in the recent series against New Zealand. Sehwag, who scored 299 runs against the Black Caps, has jumped nine places to sixth position in the latest ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen, which is still headed by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Sachin Tendulkar met President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Vimarsh Shrinkhala event in New Delhi on Thursday.
Virender Sehwag's superb innings of 119 powered India to a six-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup. Sehwag scored his ninth one-day hundred in a 198-run second wicket partnership with Suresh Raina (84) to guide India to 301 for four after 42.1 overs in reply to Pakistan's total of 299 for four.
Meanwhile, continuing with the policy of experimentation, Sehwag indicated that Robin Uthappa could make his debut and Mahendra Singh Dhoni could bat up the order.
Recalled opener Phil Hughes has promised Australia the kind of brisk starts which Virender Sehwag so frequently provides for India. Replacing the injured Simon Katich for the third Ashes Test starting on Thursday, Hughes insisted he would not be curbing his attacking instincts against the dangerous English bowlers.
Since first opening the batting together in January 2023, the duo has been prolific in 50 overs cricket.
Following India's disappointing performance at the ICC Champions Trophy, veteran batsman Rahul Dravid was dropped from the 15-member squad for the first two one-dayers against Australia. Virender Sehwag makes a comeback after recovering from injury and will replace Dinesh Karthik.
Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid hit contrasting centuries to give India the upperhand against New Zealand on Day 1 of the first Test, at the Sardar Patel stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, on Thursday. At stumps on the opening day, India were 329 for three in 90 overs, with Sachin Tendulkar on 13 from 47 balls and VVS Laxman on seven.
South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel said on Tuesday the contest between the home side's fast bowlers and India opener Virender Sehwag would be the key contest in the forthcoming three-Test series.
Virender Sehwag smashed the second fastest double century in Test cricket and Rahul Dravid completed a fifty as India ended Day 2 in the second Test against Sri Lanka on a mammoth 443 for 1 in 79 overs.
Even though the fourth cricket Test between India and Australia seems to be heading for a dull draw, Virender Sehwag feels that a result is on the cards in the final match of the series at the Adelaide Oval.
Veteran opener Virender Sehwag was dropped from the Indian squad for the first three One-Day Internationals against England, starting in Rajkot on January 11.
Swashbuckling Indian opener Virender Sehwag has jumped eight places in the ICC ODI Player Rankings after his record-breaking double century against the West Indies in the fourth ODI.
Former India players are united in their belief that Virender Sehwag's return from injury will stabilise the team's fragile batting order and lift morale in the remaining two Tests against a dominant England.
The dashing opener said he would love to lead India in future if given the opportunity.
Under-fire Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni got much-needed support from former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram who said the "hullabaloo" about his leadership is "ill-timed" as speculated replacement Virender Sehwag is not qualified for the job.
Virender Sehwag slammed an unbeaten 99 to guide India to a crushing six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, in the third match of the tri-series in, Dambulla, on Monday. India cruised to 171 for four in 34.3 overs to take a bonus point after Sri Lanka, who elected to bat, were dismissed for 170 in 46.1 overs.
Pant now has three Test centuries on English soil.
The disarming smile was replaced by a somber look and Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag simply cannot believe that he has been stoned at his home ground of Ferozeshah Kotla, of all places. His team had just tamed the Deccan Chargers by 12 runs to snap the string of defeats but instead of looking upbeat, Sehwag looked thoroughly upset in the post-match press conference late on Thursday night.
Vice-captain Virender Sehwag is likely to miss India's opening encounter of the ICC World Twenty20 against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Saturday. Coach Gary Kirsten indicated that he is yet to fully recover from a Grade 1 tear in his shoulder.
The former India captain rated Anil Kumble as the best captain he had played under.
Virender Sehwag is likely to lead India in the first ODI against Bangladesh if Rahul Dravid sits out with a nose injury.
A stunning fifty by Virender Sehwag set up India's confident chase of 387 in the first Test after twin hundreds enabled England put up a challenging target. At stumps on day four in Chennai on Sunday, India were strongly placed at 131 for one with opener Gautam Gambhir on a gritty 41 along with Rahul Dravid (2). They still need 256 for victory.
Sehwag was hailed as "part Houdini, part Superman" for his extraordinary 195-run innings.
Delhi Daredevils skipper Virender Sehwag criticised the pitch preparation for Saturday's IPL match against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, saying it was not suitable for Twenty20 cricket.
