Leave Sehwag alone now
espnstar.com’s India Editor Ayanjit Sen finds it in poor taste to hound the cause of Virender Sehwag returning home from England.
It is an injury and let it be at that.
Damned if you say. Damned if you do not.
In a choice of players, it is difficult to take sides.
History pages need to be fluttered to find out how much an injury has made headlines as an injury and not for causing a reported rift in the team.
In this news-hungry atmosphere, a change of a coloured button on your coat can be blown out of proportion.
Thirty-year-old Virender Sehwag's explosive batting style coupled with his occasional off-spin, is a stupendous option for any team in a Twenty20 format of the game.
Let us accept one thing. Sehwag is Sehwag and he does not have to prove it time and again.
He was ruled out of the on-going ICC World Twenty20 championship due to a shoulder injury. The buck should stop there for the media.
But it has not.
Dhoni had to bring out the entire team before the media to portray the unification quotient in the team.
But, why is the media hell-bent on proving something that they are not privy to.
Have you seen it or sensed it yourself?
Then, why should you shout? Isn't this 'selective amnesia'?
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Some have come up with an argument that Sehwag was also not in the best of form and that he could have found himself difficult to get back to the opening slot considering the good performance of Rohit Sharma.
At the same time, class is permanent while form is temporary.
Yes, he has not been in best of his form in recent days in the shortest format of the game.
But it takes one match, one innings to get it back. And, we all know how he can get it back.
But the issue boils down to one point. Is he now fit enough to deliver?
The simple answer is no. The issue should rest then and there.
From another perspective, it can be argued that since it is a team game, it is important that we go by the current form and performance and not by the weight of the name alone.
Absolutely right.
Some argue that though the lusty hitting of the vice-captain suits this game format, but statistically, he has not performed to his name and capability.
Will Sehwag's absence cost the Indian team? Time will tell. But for the moment, let us give the Nawab of Najafgarh some time to get over his injury.
The person replacing Sehwag is someone who should have already been with the team from the start, considering the kind of form he is in. Dinesh Karthik.
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He is undoubtedly the best player to replace Sehwag at this juncture.
Remember, the T20 format swears by the form of the player and not by the handkerchief in his pocket.
Team India are strong. And, going strong further.
Let the Indian supporters bask in that glory and hope for another tournament victory rather than mourn the temporary loss of Sehwag.
And the media, follow the supporters if you can!
With crucial players like Chris Gayle, Virender Sehwag, Daniel Vettori and Kevin Pietersen nursing injuries, is the slam-bang version of cricket starting to take its toll on the players? You know where to write in with your thoughts. Write in to us at: fanspeak@espnstar.co.in
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