Former India batsman Virender Sehwag (AFP Photo)
While Virender Sehwag suggested that Sachin Tendulkar is above the league of batsmen and it is unfair to compare him with anyone else
Veteran India opener Virender Sehwag has picked the greatest middle-order batsman according to him in Asia as he ignored Rahul Dravid and other Indian greats to make his choice. Sehwag, widely regarded as one of the greatest ever all-format openers, called former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq the best middle-order batsman in the whole of Asia after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Sehwag suggested that Tendulkar was above the league of batsmen and it was unfair to compare him with anyone else. Inzamam was one of the best batsmen of his era and his records are proof of that. The former Pakistan batsman scored 11739 runs in 378 ODIs while he scored 8830 runs in 120 Tests.
Read this also | Former Indian coach issues dire warning to Australia ahead of WTC final 2023
Sehwag said that he has not seen a better middle-order batsman than Inzamam.
“Everyone talks about Sachin Tendulkar but Inzamam-ul-Haq is the greatest middle-order batsman in Asia. See Tendulkar was above the league of batsmen. So it doesn’t count. But when it comes to the best middle-order batsman in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, I have not seen anyone better than him (Eng),” Sehwag told renowned anchor and host Gaurav Kapur on his famous show ‘Breakfast with Champions’. But told.
Praising Inzamam, Sehwag suggested that scoring 80 runs in 10 overs was an easy task for the former Pakistan batsman during that era.
“In that era – 2003-04 – he used to talk about scoring 8 runs per over. He would say to his companion, ‘Don’t worry. You will score easily’. Means 80 runs in 10 overs. Other teams would panic but he was always very confident,” he said.
The legendary India opener also shared a funny anecdote when he asked Inzamam to change ground during a Test match as he wanted to hit Danish Kaneria for a six over long-on.
“He was in India in 2005. (Danish) Kaneria was bowling around the wicket on my pads. They were trying to stop me from scoring. I played one or two overs defensively. I told him (Inzamam-ul-Haq), ‘Inji bhai, it has been a long time. Now my feet are hurting too. I told him to call the long on fielder inside the circle.
Read this also ‘All Format Great, Superstar’: Virat Kohli Describes Australian Team in One-Word Ahead of WTC Final 2023 Watch
“He asked me what I would do then. I said I would hit it for a six. He said you are joking. I said, ‘If I don’t hit the six, send the fielder back.’ Called a pass. Kaneria bowled a googly. He didn’t know about it. I hit the googly over long-on for a six.”
Sehwag said that Kaneria was upset at getting hit more and more due to the change of field but Inzamam told him to concentrate on bowling.
Kaneria got angry. He said, ‘Engineer bhai, why did you bring the fielder up?’ Inzamam told him, ‘Shut up, you don’t know what’s happening here… go back and bowl,’ Sehwag concluded.
