Australia know exactly what Virender Sehwag is all about and how lethal he can be. The 195 he scored at the MCG in the third Test on Boxing Day in 2003 still serves as an ugly reminder. But while Sehwag has been awesome, he has also been awful. In the last Test series Down Under, he got out many times playing the cut shot or perishing caught at point, despite two fielders being stationed at that position.
Sehwag may be good, bad or ugly, but the Aussies are clear about one thing, there is no phrase like 'being out of form' in Sehwag's book. When veteran Aussie pro Michael Hussey was asked if it was a good sign for his team to have an out-of-form Sehwag ahead of Friday's Super Eight clash against India at the Premadasa on Friday, the answer was simple and precise.
"I would never say that Sehwag is out of form. He can miss out a couple of times, but we all know that every time he misses out, he is closer to the next big one. Normally, when he scores big runs, he scores them quickly... so I will never say Sehwag is out of form," he said.
In 30 ODIs against Australia, Sehwag has scored just 629 runs at an average of 21.68, with a highest score of 82. In T20 Internationals, his record is poorer. In five T20Is, the 33-year-old has managed 41 runs at an average of 8.20. It's amazing that the Aussies still fear which side of the bed Viru gets up from! Perhaps they are conscious of the fact that a desperate Sehwag with nothing to lose may just swing his bat without inhibition and connect, blowing the Aussies away in the process.
Australia are wary of their old nemesis, Harbhajan Singh too. Harbhajan has his tail up again, having taken four for 12 against England last Sunday. "Of course, he is going to strengthen the team. He is a class act, someone that we respect, but when you play Twenty20, you've got to be aggressive as well and try and put him under pressure. He did a fantastic job the other night, but I think we can play spin better than the English," Hussey said.
Australia know what is coming at them. "I suspect that they will bowl a fair bit of spin to us. Apart from the frontline spinners, the part-timers will also bowl at us. So, we have to adapt very quickly. It can often be a tough challenge."
You get a peek into the culture of the Australian team when Hussey is asked about whether it pains him to see his vastly experienced brother David being kept out of the XI. "It is a tough choice, really. You've got only 11 players and most often it is about finding that balance in the side. I would love to see him in the team."
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