'Dravid told me, 'you won't even give me time to put my pads on," recalls Sehwag of his first Test innings as opener in England.

Latest updates of cricket news

Monday, 16th August 2021

Former India batsman Virender Sehwag expressed concern about England's top-order, explaining how the team's collective failure is increasing the pressure on captain Joe Root to score runs. Root has been a standout performer for England against India in the three Test innings so far, scoring 64 and 109 in Nottingham while no other English batsman has scored a half-century.

A similar storey unfolded in the first innings of the Lord's Test, as Root scored his 51st Test fifty after being forced to bat at 23/2 on Day 2. Sehwag believes that a team's success is heavily influenced by how well its opening pair performs, which England is currently struggling with. "When your openers don't get you off to a good start, that's when you hit rock bottom." The chances of winning are also reduced because a good partnership – say, of 50-100 runs – makes it easier for the middle order.

Also Read: England vs. India, 2nd Test: Despite Ajinkya Rahane-Cheteshwar Pujara's Rescue Act, England Finish Day 4 On Top

Their openers have gotten out for a duck eight times, which is a significant number. "When the openers leave early, you're left with pressure to deal with," Sehwag said on Sony Sports Network.

Sehwag, along with Sunil Gavaskar, is one of India's best Test openers of all time. He recalled a tour to England in 2002, when he first opened for India, but his former teammate Rahul Dravid, who batted at No. 3, had already padded up, probably sensing that Sehwag wouldn't last long.Sehwag, on the other hand, did and succeeded with scores of 84 at Lord's and 106 at Trent Bridge.

"I remember getting ready to open for India in Tests for the first time and seeing Rahul Dravid already padded up and getting ready for his turn."

So I told him, 'I haven't gone out yet.' 'I know you won't even give me the time to put my pads on,' he said. However, after the first match, he most likely realised that this is not the case. I'll give him a chance. He was pretty sure when I hit a century after I scored 84. "He used to always put his pads on after me," Sehwag recalled.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source

Hindustantimes