While Virender Sehwag’s first triple century for India has been an accident waiting to happen for an opposing bowling attack, there have been times when Pakistan have looked anything but a well-prepared, even motivated, side in this historic first Test of the new era between the two countries.And being on the receiving end of Sehwag’s Excalibur style of batting technique is far from fun. Any number of bowlers, from Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock to New Zealand’s Daryl Tuffey and England’s mis-shapened line-up sent to Colombo for the ICC Champion’s Trophy have seen their bowling analysis disfigured with the sort of bravado which displays the man’s confidence.Forget for a moment his age and forget, too, although it is hard to do so after this Multan innings, that he is still learning to adapt from the battering-ram tactics of the limited overs stage to the flair and improvisation demands required for a Test. He is the sort of batsman India need in this modern era.He will give any captain 150 percent and retaining him as an opening batsman displays the confidence that captain Sourav Ganguly and coach John Wright have in his ability. After all, he has put together a couple of big scores in his last two Tests, and Steve Waugh was, as was Inzamam, unsure of who to turn to in almost desperation to trap into making a mistake.But having watched him score his debut Test century against South Africa in Bloemfontein in November 2001, having seen him decimate the New Zealand bowlers at SSC in Colombo to reach the triangular final several weeks earlier and then the horror in the England camp in September 2001, as well as consternation in their media ranks which is always on a misguided crusade, explains the trepidation opposing captains have when they shape their bowlers against someone who has taken the role of an opening batsman to a new level and into the 21st century.Anyone who scores a triple century with a strike rate of plus 80 displays the type of pace the modern game is being played. It is the sort of tactics that flays an opposition bowling into submission. While the Australians, noticeably Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, attack the bowling as a way of putting fast runs on the board, a look at their strike rate suggests where the game is heading.As Steve Waugh explained, the modern game is all about strike rates and the ability to carry them from the limited overs game into the Test arena and be successful. As Ganguly added, fast runs on the board means more time to bowl at the opposition. On day one of the Multan match it was noticeable how Sachin Tendulkar allowed Sehwag to set the pace and dominate. Why mess up the tactics by trying to establish an already well-known dominance over an attack which his partner has already taken control?About the one criticism of India’s efforts on day two was how they allowed the innings to drift along. They had already established control; pushing on from that would add to Pakistan’s discomfort and perhaps an earlier declaration.
