Virender Sehwag - The batsman who created history without chasing it

A smile and a song on the lips – Virender Sehwag played with absolute freedom

When India started their second innings at Manchester last week, they were trailing England by 200 plus margin. That was the moment, I feel, Virender Sehwag would have grabbed better than the most. 50 odd overs left for the day and 200 odd runs to be made to make England bat again. Stage couldn’t have been more perfect for a freewheeler like Sehwag.

After a victory in Mumbai Test against Sri Lanka in 2009, Virender Sehwag had an astonishing yet an eloquent response on his thunderous 293 - "I got out early in the last Test. So I decided to watch the ball very closely today." On listening this response, just like Ravi Shastri did, I too gulped down astonishment because Sehwag had made a mere 131 in the last Test, at Kanpur. Clearly, early meant something else to this freak bat.

In all likelihood, he would have slept peacefully even as many of his fans waited on the threshold of his triple hundred, a historic feat. He must have woken up with a song on his lips too, he probably must have had a hearty breakfast and may even have been the last to be ready.

Maybe that is why he is doomed to miss his trysts with destiny. Sleep comes easily to those who don't chase greatness, or do not respect the gravity of history. He may never have seen Viv Richards bat, the batsman he is often equated to; the chances are he doesn't know anything about Don Bradman beyond his name. His most possible response on Bradman would be – Yes, I think, he is supposedly the best batsman to have played the game.

Maybe, that is why it is not easy to bestow the mantle of greatness on Sehwag. You somehow expect a sense of seriousness, a gleam of excitement in all those who pursue this intangible, elusive grail. The only thing you see in Sehwag's batting, is a joie de vivre. He smiles when he misses a ball, laughs when he miscues a hit, he seems almost unconcerned if he gets out on 1 or 219. There is hardly an anguish of a missed opportunity, an agony of a momentous occasion that has slipped by and a thrall of greatness. The great man often feels ‘there will be another chance’.

Let’s be clear. His body language may fool or mislead many. Beyond the carefree avatar lies a deep commitment to runs, a great hunger for success. He didn't have a life beyond cricket, no passion beyond batting. Of-late, he realized education is one good opportunity to shape up the Gen Next.

Sehwag didn’t chase milestones, but has an immense hunger for runs

The beautiful part of Sehwag’s batting is that he can alter his shots or rather choose his shots while he is halfway through his stroke and more amazing is his knack to do either of defence and attack on a whim. Many have often argued or been overawed at his hand-eye coordination. But to me, he relies the most on balance. Critical part is that he is extremely light on his feet though he never had a technically accurate footwork. He may not be the most agile with his movement while hitting but has always been very decisive and lazily elegant.

When they are in flow, I have always marveled at Sachin’s purity, Lara’s elegance, Sanga-Mahela’s grace, Dravid-Kallis’s sanctity. But in Sehwag’s case, there is nothing like being in flow or out of flow. He just unfurls his audacity with innate felicitousness. That’s the greatness of a Sehwag!

There wouldn’t be an exemplary and elegant right hander, with a devilish bat and a very kind heart.