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Updated June 2nd, 2021 at 13:51 IST

Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq credits Virender Sehwag for changing Indian players' mindset

Saqlain Mushtaq said Virender Sehwag lifted the bar and showed the way, adding "players like Rohit Sharma have learnt a lot watching Viru play".

Reported by: Vishal Tiwari
Saqlain Mushtaq, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Viv Richards, Indian cricket, WTC final, Pakistan cricket, England vs New Zealand, Test score
(Image Credit: AP/PTI) | Image:self
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Former Pakistan cricketer Saqlain Mushtaq has heaped praise on ex-India batsman Virender Sehwag, crediting the 42-year-old for introducing explosive batting style to Indian cricket. Saqlain, who is known for inventing 'Doosra', said it is because of Sehwag that Indian cricketers are batting the way they are at the moment, adding "a lot of Indian players have benefitted from his brand of cricket". Saqlain, while speaking on his official Youtube channel, went on to compare Sehwag with former West Indies great Sir Viv Richards, saying the brand of cricket that Sehwag played was not so prevalent before him as only a handful of cricketers preferred power-hitting. 

Saqlain said Virender Sehwag lifted the bar and showed the way, adding "players like Rohit Sharma have learnt a lot watching Viru play". The leg-spinner further added that it was because of Sehwag that players started to believe double-century could be scored in ODIs. Saqlain added that Rohit Sharma's numbers may look prettier than Sehwag's but the former Indian opener deserves credit for it. He added that Sehwag changed the style of play and inspired millions of others to adapt to the explosive brand of cricket. Rohit Sharma now has three double-centuries in ODIs, more than any other player in the world. 

Sehwag's India stint

Sehwag was the first Indian batsman to score a triple-century in Test cricket. The former India international had a strike rate of 86 in Tests, 104 in ODIs, and over 145 in T20 cricket. Sehwag played 104 Test matches for India and scored over 8,500 runs in the format at an average of 49.34, including a whopping 23 centuries and 32 half-centuries. The Delhi batsman also played 251 ODI matches for India and scored 8,273 runs at an average of 35.05.

Sehwag was the second batsman after legendary Sachin Tendulkar to score a double century in ODI cricket. Sehwag is one of the only two cricketers in the world to score a double-century in ODIs and a triple hundred in Test cricket. West Indies batsman Chris Gayle is another cricketer to have scored both double-century in ODIs and triple-century in Tests. 

(Image Credit: AP/PTI)
 

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Published June 2nd, 2021 at 13:51 IST

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