Is Sehwag right-handed Lara?

Lara is the legend I choose for a Sehwag comparison because I see so many similarities albeit from a distance, writes Ian Healy.

In my previous column I mentioned that Damien Martyn and Virender Sehwag had been unfairly questioned on form by some critics. Let me delve a little deeper and analyse Sehwag's career.

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I decided to compare it to Brian Lara's first 25 Tests and 103 one dayers. Lara is the current legend I choose for a Sehwag comparison because I see so many similarities between them both on and off the field albeit from a distance. Maybe then, we can judge how harsh some critics are getting in today's professional game.

Professional is a word which irks me when used in certain ways. Professionalism defined is the total dedication to the eradication of error. It has nothing to do with money and nor should it.

Current cricketers are fulltime cricketers but certainly no more professional than any earlier generation. In fact now that the money is good, they are probably less professional than someone who applied the same commitment for nothing in the 1920's, 30's or 40's.