Viru, Kaif ? comrades in distress
Sehwag's sequence of low scores continued at Kochi, ironically at the same venue where he scored his last century.
Virender Sehwag's prolonged sequence of low scores continued here today, ironically at a venue where he scored his last century almost exactly a year ago.
It was on April 2, 2005 that the Delhi batsman made 108 against Pakistan at the Nehru Stadium here. Since then, he has played 37 innings but without a ton.
He has scored three half centuries though, against New Zealand (Sep, 2005) in Zimbabwe and South Africa (Nov, 2005) at home and one this year in Pakistan.
With the pressure mounting on the 28-year-old to come good, much was expected when Sehwag came out to bat in India's innings.
But once again he flattered to deceive, managing 26 off 33 balls before falling prey to an ambitious shot.
That the Indian team management has constantly backed him would be of little relief to the aggressive batsman as he has scores of 7, 26, 15 and 26 in the last four outings now.
Sehwag can cry on the shoulders of another batsman struggling for form in one-dayers -- Mohammad Kaif.
Kaif's figures look the more alarming, what with four ducks in his last six outings.
The Uttar Pradesh batsman has not scored a half century in his last 13 outings -- on Thursday he was dismissed for five.
What is intriguing is the fact that Kaif has done well in domestic circuit, scoring a century in Ranji final only recently but he has somehow failed to translate the same form into runs on the international stage.
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