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Sehwag century secures the draw

S. Ram Mahesh

Dravid had to retire hurt due to a fracture on his middle finger

It was the Indian opener’s 13th Test century and first since June 2006
Sachin Tendulkar was declared the Man of the Match

Adelaide: Recently restored to Test cricket, Virender Sehwag constructed his 13th century, his first since June 2006, to direct India through a tense final day here at the Adelaide Oval.

Sehwag’s innings of bat-speed and balance, stroke-play and restraint — he gathered 29 between lunch and tea without a boundary — ensured the fourth Test was drawn, Anil Kumble declaring India’s second innings on 269 for seven after 73 overs had been bowled on Monday.

Kumble’s men may have lost the series 1-2, but they pushed the champion side at home like few teams have this decade. India’s iron resolve in Perth after the tumult of Sydney and the battle of parity here have returned primacy to the rivalry. This undoubtedly is the marquee series in world cricket.

Batting time

India, on Monday, was in the market for time: nursing a slender lead of eight, the touring side needed to play deep into the fifth day; Australia, by edging past India’s considerable first innings score, had seemingly ensured that only one side had the time to squander ten wickets in the second stint.

It was important India believed it could win. There are few things as draining as batting time, particularly for the modern-day cricketer, and India’s galacticos haven’t the most reputable record at this fading craft. Sehwag’s presence therefore was paramount: he buys time, in the context of the third innings, in two ways. Irrespective of the situation, Sehwag is wedded to the cause of scoring runs. So, not only does his occupation of the crease — if one may describe any of his innings so plainly — soak up time, but the runs he plunders necessitate the opposition to bat that much longer in pursuit.

Sehwag was secure in defence on Monday without ever compromising on scoring. Bringing his bat down as an impartial guillotine, the opener cut Stuart Clark before squirting to third-man and cuffing through cover the Australian spearhead, Brett Lee.

In between, he lost Rahul Dravid, his partner from Saturday evening, to a fractured middle finger. Dravid, welted by a fast Lee lifter, fought through the pain for a couple of overs, but realised he couldn’t continue.

Sachin Tendulkar’s final Test innings on Australian soil very nearly lasted just one ball: an assertive cover drive ricocheted off silly-point to Andrew Symonds at mid-off, but replays confirmed it had bounced before hitting Phil Jaques close in.

Early reprieve

Sehwag upped the pace, allowing his hero to settle. Having reached his half-century in 78 balls, he hotfooted to 100 in a further 45, every run a cold dagger to Michael Clarke’s heart for dropping Sehwag on two. The 29-year-old celebrated by punching the air thrice, looking to the heavens, acknowledging his mates and the crowd before being embraced warmly by ‘Man of the Match’ Tendulkar.

The perception of the prematurely balding Sehwag (and one that surprisingly persists to this day) is of a technically deficient hit-or-miss player. Perhaps the stasis in footwork has contributed to the impression. But, as he showed repeatedly on Monday, his is a method that can succeed against the best — and indeed has succeeded against the best, often exceptionally.

Strangely, he can look technically correct, even by the most conventional parameters. When he chose to leave on Monday or stop the ball from going any further, the contours of his batting were orthodoxy itself. Sure, the bat still arrived from impossibly high and through a curiously curved path.

But, the forward defensive stroke to one at nearly 150 kmph from Lee, bat straight and by the leading toe, which pointed to mid-off, back foot resting lightly having participated in the weight transfer, would have pleased any hard-bitten technician.

Thrilling strokeplay

But, Sehwag hasn’t built his legend from patting bowlers harmlessly — even if it has lengthened his tenure — and he produced several thrilling strokes. Brad Hogg was hit out of the attack, slog-swept to the grass hill on the diagonal, taken on the full and driven through cover. Clark was glanced fine, Lee glided late. Throughout, Sehwag ran hard and smart, twice completing four (once when he had nothing to gain, for they were byes).

Sehwag was slightly guilty in the Tendulkar run-out. He didn’t refuse early a mistaken call for a short single, stranding Tendulkar for Mitchell Johnson to throw the stumps down on his follow-through.

Sourav Ganguly scooped Johnson to cover, Laxman nibbled one down the leg-side, and Dhoni threw his bat at one that left him. But, Sehwag refused to relent. By the time he left, caught behind by a departing Adam Gilchrist, he had made 151 of India’s 253.

SCOREBOARD

India — 1st innings: 526.

Australia — 1st innings: 563.

India — 2nd innings: V. Sehwag c Gilchrist b Symonds 151, I. Pathan lbw b Johnson 0, R. Dravid (retd. hurt) 11, S. Tendulkar (run out) 13, S. Ganguly c Hussey b Johnson 18, V.V.S. Laxman c Gilchrist b Lee 12, M.S. Dhoni c Hayden b Lee 20, A. Kumble (not out) 9, Harbhajan c Ponting b Hogg 7, Ishant (not out) 2; Extras (b-9, lb-9, nb-5, w-3) 26; Total (for seven wkts. decl. in 90 overs) 269.

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Pathan), 2-128 (Tendulkar), 3-162 (Ganguly), 4-186 (Laxman), 5-237 (Dhoni), 6-253 (Sehwag), 7-264 (Harbhajan).

Australia bowling: Lee 27-3-74-2, Johnson 16-1-33-2, Symonds 22-4-52-1, Clark 12-3-37-0, Hogg 12-3-53-1, Clarke 1-0-2-0.

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