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Some mild verbal sparring

Principal Correspondent

Chittagong: No second thoughts, no pauses and no allusions to diplomacy. Virender Sehwag speaks the way he bats, and he virtually set the cat among the pigeons in the pre-match press conference ahead of the first Test here on Saturday afternoon.

Asked how he rated the Bangladesh team, Sehwag said: “They can cause a few surprises in One-Day Internationals but they cannot do that in Test cricket because they are an ordinary side.”

A stung Bangladeshi media contingent had its second question ready.

“What makes you think that?”

Sehwag said: “Because they cannot take 20 wickets. If you look at our batting, we are strong, and even Sri Lanka couldn’t get 20 wickets against us.”

“We are not over-confident but we are confident. It’s not about being No. 1 or 2 or 3; we are playing a Test match here, we have the right attitude and we are focussed on it,” Sehwag said.

Mixed response

Sehwag’s remarks evoked mixed response from the Bangladesh team management.

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan remained diplomatic and said: “They are his views. What can I say?”

However, coach Jamie Siddons refused to be cowed down. “I don’t think that statement is worth remarking upon. Sehwag should stay away from the mike for a while. Ours is a young side that is constantly improving and we do have some good young batsmen and a key spinner in Shakib. We might prove him wrong,” he said.

Shakib then played his own hand at the mind-game.

He said: “From what I have observed, Australia and South Africa are better teams though India is ranked No. 1. I do believe that if we play at our best, we can even win this match. Yes, they have a good batting line-up but they are humans and can make mistakes and we need to capitalise on that.”

Siddons said the team management had not yet made up its mind on the final playing eleven.

And, keeping in line with the theme of verbal duels triggered by Sehwag’s remarks, the coach added: “We might play three seamers. The Indians play spin better.”

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