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Sehwag can win us the World Cup: Dravid
Viru is a "great and exceptional" cricketer who can win India the World Cup, feels the skipper.
Virender Sehwag is a "great and exceptional" cricketer who can win India a World Cup, declared captain Rahul Dravid on Sunday.
"Veeru is a great player. He is an exceptional cricketer. He can win us the World Cup, let's face the reality," said Dravid about one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket.
Sehwag has played in just one World Cup, in South Africa in 2003, when his performance was ordinary. His best knock, a fine 82, came in the final against Australia in Johannesburg. The next World Cup will be held in the West Indies in March-April.
But before that he will try to regain form in the ongoing Champions Trophy at home. India, who are placed in Group A along with Australia and an unidentified qualifying team, play their first match against England Oct 15 in Jaipur.
Sehwag, the lone Indian to score a triple Test century, can tear apart any bowling attack with his excellent eye-hand coordination even while remaining glued to the batting crease.
The 27-year-old right-hander's impact on one-day cricket is evident from his strike rate of 96.70 and 75.78 in Test cricket.
There is, however, a paradox here. His average in ODIs is less than Test matches. While in Tests the opening batsman averages a fabulous 52.12, his ODI statistic is 31.75.
Sehwag's recent lack of form prompted the team management to make him bat lower down the order, while Dravid replaced as Sachin Tendulkar's opening partner in one-dayers.
Dravid said Sehwag was a thinking players and he can assess his performance probably at the end of his career better.
Sehwag's recent form has been topsy-turvy. He seemed to be returning to form on the tour of the West Indies this May-June, but again flopped in the DLF Cup triangular series in Kuala Lumpur.
