Weird facts: Virender Sehwag averaged higher in Test defeats than Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman

Only 11 men in the history of Indian cricket have scored 1,500 runs or above in Test match defeats; only seven of them while averaging above 30. You wouldn’t think he would be part of the list, but Virender Sehwag is one of them and infact, went better in Test losses than his more renowned teammates: Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.

Sehwag was involved in 28 Test losses playing for India and an ICC representative XI and averaged a mighty impressive 34.35 for 1,924 runs from his 56 innings. He averaged higher than Dravid (29.87) and Laxman (26.19) in Test match defeats and did so while scoring more hundreds (5) than both the middle-order giants.

People associate the hard-fought grind and resilience with both Dravid and Laxman. But not so much with Virender Sehwag, who in public perception was a carefree individual, an explosive batsman and entertainer at the top of the order. Thus, it’s all the more commendable of Sehwag to be one of India’s more valiant batsmen in defeats.

Also Read: When Sachin Tendulkar Ended As The Second Highest Wicket-Taker In A Test Series

Run-making in Test match defeats is extremely difficult. The opposition is firmly on top, enjoying the better of the conditions and the game situation. The field settings are aggressive, bowlers are deploying the attacking lines and lengths to make inroads.

You are standing at the crease with your team under enormous pressure and having to fight every inch for a run, just to be able to try and delay the inevitable. You see your teammates fall like a pack of cards but can’t let that affect your headspace and drop your guard. It’s a proper examination of your resolve and defiance.

Weird facts: Virender Sehwag averaged higher in Test defeats than Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman

For Virender Sehwag to only be lower than Sachin Tendulkar (37.16), Virat Kohli (36.50) and Sunil Gavaskar (35.06) in terms of averages in such circumstances shows his seldom acknowledged character and temperament. He may be a gentleman unfazed in his attitude but also possessed a very tough mind, where he never let the seed of selfishness creep in and remained a team-driven personality throughout.

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Sehwag’s unorthodox ways faltered from time to time but he never changed his approach and method. The team provided him with trust and clarity regarding his role. In turn, Sehwag gave India solid starts and made a huge impact. Sehwag made 8 hundreds and 16 half-centuries and averaged 54.65 for 3,498 runs in Test victories he was part of. He was instrumental to India’s rare wins abroad in that era and made 965 runs @56.76 per innings in 11 away Test victories against top 8 nations.

But Sehwag’s impact is still a widely appreciated and celebrated aspect of his game. What he isn’t given credit for is the ability to fight odds and scoring tough runs for India, which gems like Dravid and Laxman have a legacy built on. Dravid and Laxman are rightfully held high for withstanding the storm in the toughest of times for India and were undoubtedly more technically solid and robust batsmen.

But it’s time we start looking at Virender Sehwag with a different lens and put him on a higher pedestal than we have because, as the record says, he simply deserves that. What would’ve aided Virender Sehwag’s record in defeats is his tendency to break the shackles and put the pressure back on the opposition. Sehwag’s intimidating presence and explosiveness extracted more scoring balls out of the opposition attack and relaxed the field to a degree, something the more resolute but also more sedate, Dravid and Laxman, couldn’t always do to the opposing team.

Teams could set a field and bowl to a plan to Dravid, who believed in defending through a phase and avoided taking risks, recognising that he is better off trusting his style of play than ever forcing the issue. Virender Sehwag believed in setting the cat amongst the pigeons and absolutely destroyed opposition field settings and plans with his amazing personality and incredible batting ability.