Jayasuriya backs Sehwag as a vital “impact player” for India – Cricket News Update
Former Sri Lankan skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/V-Sehwag-c2739, who has been criticised for slowing down with age, claiming the right-hander is a “match-winning” player for his team.
“I find it difficult to understand why people criticise a match-winner like Sehwag. He is an impact player,” Jayasuriya pointed out. “Sehwag will not score 80 or 100 everyday but whenever he scores at least 70 at the top of the order, be rest assured that
India will win matches more often than not.
“I still don't know why a few failures always raise this question of age being a factor,” he went on to add. “A couple of failures don't suddenly make you old. If one is fit and motivated, age is not a factor.”
Issues with senior players emerged as a concern for the Indian team earlier this year during their tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/G-Gambhir-c1447, and Sehwag.
While the policy attracted a fair amount of criticism, and was ultimately shelved, age has been bought up as a key factor whenever the more senior players have failed to deliver.
Presently a part of India’s T20 squad in the ongoing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Twenty20 2012, 33-year-old Sehwag, who is due to turn 34 next month, has found himself the target of similar criticism, owing to a patchy phase he is recently undergoing.
The top-order batsman was ruled out of the 2009-10 World T20 owing to a shoulder injury, and in the last 11 T20Is he played, Sehwag has only managed one half-century (a 64 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in Mohali during December 2009).
In the recent tournament, he has registered scores of 12 and 26 (against Sri Lanka and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Afghanistan-c745.
While his recent performances have been a cause for concern, Sehwag has an undeniable reputation as a builder of massive scores for his side, which is bound to make team management think twice when it comes to the question of excluding him from the XI.
The right-hander holds the record for the highest number of Test double-centuries by an Indian player, in addition to the record for most runs in an ODI innings – 219 against the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 in 2011, during which smashed 7 sixes and 25 fours.
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