Virender Sehwag has been dropped for the next two Tests

I don't follow the Ranji trophy carefully so I can't comment about the availability of quality openers in the country. Pujara has taken over from Dravid and seems to fit in well at no. 3 while Kohli too ain't an opener. From what I remember, Vijay with his recent performance against Australia and Jaffer for his splendid performances at domestic level (I did notice this even though I said I don't follow domestic cricket ) are the only real threat to Sehwag and Gambhir. There could be more that I'm not aware of. So, its hard to imagine they both won't be getting back together for India in the future.

Like you, when I heard the news, I just checked for its authenticity before starting this discussion and wasn't a bit surprised at all. However, I was surprised when he was picked up for this series as he was dropped earlier too, as you pointed out. But at the same time, I have to say that he too will make a comeback and so will Gambhir. Sehwag and Gambhir are such players who won't remain out of the Indian team for a long time, unless they have strong competition from Pujara and Kohli, etc.

I too do not follow it. However, I just keep track of the records and the news about it. As I had said in one of the responses somewhere here, Pujara needs to show his skills on fast pitches. When he travels to South Africa, he will really be tested. If you are talking about openers, then yes, Vijay is there and so is Wasim Jaffer. I really like Jaffer. He is a very dedicated and devoted player. I wonder how he is out of the team for so long. Gautam Gambhir will have to take a lot of efforts to come back in the team and retain his place. That won't be at all easy for him, especially when there are so many options available right now.

Well, Virendra Sehwag does has the ability to get back in the team with the kind of skills he has. Yet, if he adopts an overconfident approach and does not practice hard, he would find it tough, what with so many other players too vying for the test openers' slot.

No. I don't think he will not practice. We hardly get to know the private life of such players, how much they practice, where they do all these things and how. Let us not get into that. But I don't think he is a childish person to take things lightly. I am sure he will be back as he still deserves a place in the team. Yes, there are players who are vying for the spot. But how many of them really stay there. We have had experimented with many opening pairs in ODIs too before India settled with Ganguly and Sachin. The same is happening in Tests too. Now we have Shikhar Dhawan. Let's wait and watch instead of taking any one player's side.

I am also optimistic about his return. And I also agree with you that he is very causal at times. Did you see the field placement on the first day for Sehwag when Australia bowled 3 overs. There were almost 4-5 slip fielders, may be even more. The shot that he played for a four was a bait that he could probably fall for. However, he was lucky not to get out in slips that day. But the causal approach shows that he still went after the ball. And yes, I am sure he would get picked up for the overseas tours.

I also think that Sehwag should play domestic matches and try to get into form and then come to team back. I can he can play T-20 cricket and IPL and try to get into form.

Yes, I have already mentioned that in one of my responses somewhere here. IPL has served a a great platform for many players for their respective countries. And I am sure, Sehwag will be no exception. When people see him hitting sixes and fours, he will automatically make a comeback.

I also think that IPL is giving lots of options for lots of cricketers in different countries.

Rightly said. Sehwag is a batsman who is above form. On his given day he can score tons of runs and on the next come back to the pavilion as if it were too hot in the middle. That is difficult to understand. But I would suggest he keeps out of the Test forever now. As Sachin has quit ODIs and is only concentrating on Tests, Sehwag should do the opposite. Players like Sehwag are needed in ODIs and especially in T20s.

If Sehwag retires from Test cricket, there's a lot for Sehwag. I really feel Sehwag is not a player for Test cricket. We have been seeing it for years and I don't need to advocate this fact. Time and again commentators have also said this that he is an attacking cricketer and Test cricket doesn't require such a mindset. However, I believe playing only ODI and T20 cricket will help him even more. He is that kind of a player and that format needs players like him. Do you remember how he got to his first triple century - by coming down to a spinner and hitting a six when he was on 295. No Indian had a triple century in Tests before. He is the first one. But he didn't think of the record. The ball was in the firing line and it was dealt with as Sehwag would normally do. This shows his attitude. As far as other players and their retirement is concerned, India is likely to go down. See what happened to Australia - there's no Gilchrist, McGrath, Hayden, Langer, Warne, the Waugh brothers and Ponting. The entire team is slipping down. I just hope that if the new crop of players like Bhuvi and Jadeja apart from the like of Kohli and Raina perform well, India won't go down to those levels as Australia have.

I find your answer totally practical and down to earth. A bad patch here or there should not be the characteristic to determine a side's performance. To see how a side performs, one has also to see its history. And history is on Aussie side. Even India was struggling after the World Cup triumph. It had one of the most bad patches Indian cricket has ever seen. I guess, the same is with Australia at the moment. Their batsmen aren't really accustomed to Indian conditions and it is very likely for them to falter, the same way as it happned to Indian batsmen Down Under. When India travel to South Africa, that's the real test. People have started calling Pujara Dravid's replacement. But I have always maintained that he needs to prove himself on fast pitches and overseas. That's where the real test for the batsman is. Yes, let him bask in the glory at the moment. But very soon the same basking will probably turn into heat. I hope that doesn't happen to him. And I believe he will turn out good. The only thing is that people over here shouldn't start calling for his head if he has a couple of failures.

Australia level has not dipped to much. They are still tough to beat any day in any major tournament. It's just that they are struggling in India and every team struggle here. Losing in India is not a crime. Australia are not going to be beaten black and blue in coming Ashes. Their batsmen are good but not good enough in India. Take India out of question and they are good side. They nearly came close to beat SA. Like Ganguly, I too believe that real test of Indian players will in SA, NZ, Eng and Australia. Doesn't matter how much Pujara score here, if he score a century in SA, that will be his best innings till then.

Like you there are many optimistic fans of Sehwag and I am also one of them. I am sure he will come back. It is only a matter of time. India can't do without Sehwag at the moment.

That is exactly what he will be doing - playing domestic matches. That will give him a lot of confidence. And after all the IPL will soon be starting. So, there will be automatically enough practice for him. I am sure he will use all the matches as good practice matches to prove his point. There is still no question of dropping him for good. He has the potential to come back and play for India and he will do it, I am sure.

There are so many failures for Sehwag that the century has got overshadowed. And I also feel that the spects have a role to play in his not being able to get the footing and timing right. If that holds true, then the Aussies shouldn't think that they got him out of merit. It was Sehwag's poor form itself like it was for Shaun Marsh in the previous series when India visited Australia. As far as Rahane and Dhawan are concerned, I feel either one of them will get a chance to play now. Shikhar Dhawan has been an opener and so is Rahane. It doesn't matter what tag the selectors give to Rahane. Do you know, players like Ponting and Dilshan were also middle order batsmen before they opened their innings for their countries regularly (Ponting wasn't a regular opener though). And how would we forget our very own Sachin. He too played in the middle order before being promoted as an opener.

That's exactly what I want to say too. IPL commercial and Sehwag has been paid for that. His team won't experiment. He will go full monty there and try to prove himself. After all, it is the question of proving.

That is one thing that also struck me - when there were runs from the top order like Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara, Sehwag was finding it hard even to reach the double figures. However, the upcoming IPL should help him regain his lost form. There are many players (who are not currently in the Indian team) who were able to make a comeback to the national side after playing IPL in previous seasons. So, I think, that should help him.

My views are differ from you. IPL is commercial show.It is not a game. Money is important in this tournament. No room for experiment. So It is better for Sehwag to play in local cricket. Above all these he now much better than us.

Class is permanent, form is temporary, is what many commentators say from time to time. This is how Sehwag fits into. He is a world-class player and a match winner. No one should doubt this and his abilities. However, no one is above this rule. All have failed at different times in their career and so his Sehwag. However, I also agree with you that it is a good decision to rest him. Yes, let me call that as the board giving him some rest. He is not in the form and is doing no good to the team or for himself. It is better not to play him and give a chance to someone like Shikhar Dhawan or Ajinkya Rahane.

But that's not every time how it goes. Am I right? That is easier said than done. There are influential people around and that makes selection a difficult choice. But even if that is put aside, some players are there on their merit, their history and not necessarily on their current form. Do you remember, Yusuf Pathan had a very poor series in IPL, I guess last year or a couple of years ago. But the commentators were saying that he is there just because he is a power hitter and can change the course of the match in no time and secondly because he has been paid heavily for that. So, why not use his services?

Yes, many youngsters are waiting who already having good form right now. So yes who having the good form now deserves the chance in team.. other should be rest. When they get form back they can be in team in no time. Thats how team management select the players.

They say, don't change the winning combination. But if one player is not performing, it should be seen in a wider view. As doctors advice their patients to go out of town or to change their daily routine or go on a vacation to refresh themselves, it helps. I have experienced this myself. I break is really needed. No one can perform continuously and if that happens it is better to keep him away and let his mind have rest. The same with Sehwag. It is the mind that needs rest, so let him have it. If that's going to bring the best out of him, then why not? And he has himself said that he will come back. That shows his confidence there itself, isn't it?

Yes, I too feel that there is nothing wrong in dropping Sehwag. If that is ultimately going to help him, why not do that in the interest of the team and he too? I really fail to understand why it is seen as a move to oust him for good. I don't think Dhoni might have anything to do with that. After all to win matches under his captaincy, he too needs players like Sehwag, Tendulkar and Kohli in the team, right?

Hi abhi_bangal. I don't know why people are making such a big issue out of it. It is not the first time that Sehwag has been kept out of the team.And we all know that he will be back in no time. You cant keep someone as talented as Sehwag on the bench for so long. Have a nice day !!!

Hi abhi_bangal. Things change so quickly in cricket. Dhawn has become a cricketing hero in just a day's time. If India wins this test match and Dhawan gets the man of the match then Dhawan will stay in the the Indian cricket team for one more test series. Have a nice day !!

Well, I don't think a batsman like Virender Sehwag is made for a middle order slot. If attacking nature is natural to him, why not take advantage of that and let him score runs. But yes, at the same time it should also be seen that he does not take unnecessary risks (which sadly he is always doing!). I agree with what you say - players like Sehwag himself apart from Sachin will be retiring soon. But there is young crop of players in the form of Kohli, Raina, Pujara, Dhawan who can be in the team. There are still many more that I can mention here. The role of a player should be cut out and that's for sure.

I very much agree with you. Dale Stein is not going to keep Rahane comfortable out there. I have seen his footwork as you pointed out and they don't just move. There is such a huge gap between the bat and the pad that we both can comfortably pass through I hope Sehwag will be recalled in the Indian team when we travel to South Africa. Without him we are not prepared to face the bowling. But I guess, this expulsion from the team should be a blessing in disguise. It will give him rest and the will to come back and perform. If that happens, what more should India ask for!