Virender Sehwag clobbered a breath-taking unbeaten 284 as India rode on his brutal assault to take complete control of the third and final cricket Test against a hapless Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Replying to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 393, the 31-year-old Sehwag set the Brabourne stadium ablaze with a stunning display of strokeplay as the hosts raced to a record score of 443 for one at close on an extraordinary second day's play.
Sehwag plundered runs at will as he not only notched up his 17th Test ton, his sixth 200 plus total, but laid the platform for India to push for victory which would take them to the number one position in the ICC Test rankings.
The Delhi dasher clobbered the visiting bowlers in his typical fashion to race to his hundred off only 101 balls.
Vijay played the perfect foil to his senior and more aggressive partner while also playing some magnificent drives before departing for 87 with 40 minutes left for tea.
Vijay, who was let off when on 67, struck 10 fours and a six off Muttiah Muralitharan in his 121-ball knock, tried to sweep a Rangana Herath delivery, missed it and was caught plumb in front.
Sehwag was in menacing form as a flurry of fours and sixes flew from his bat. He drove and cut powerfully, played against the spin too at times with disdain, and also used the reverse sweep on one occasion to simply demoralise the visiting attack.
The two openers gave a rollicking start to the innings to race away to 92 without loss in 18 overs at lunch and then stepped up the tempo in the second session with Sehwag going into over-drive while Vijay looked elegant.
As many as 168 runs were scored in the second session in only 27 overs as all the Lankan bowlers were subjected to harsh treatment by Sehwag who singled out Rangana Herath, the left arm spinner who took a five-wicket haul in the second Test at Kanpur, for special punishment.
Sehwag, who notched up his third triple-figure knock against the Lankans on Thursday, lofted Herath for four of his five sixes. Sehwag's century, which he reached with a paddle sweep off Muralitharan, was studded with 13 fours and two sixes.
No comments:
Post a Comment