Virender Sehwag may be down but is keen to ensure he's not out, says a report in The Times Of India, adding that the destructive opener has been out of the Indian team for more than four months now but with a busy season on the horizon, he landed in the city on Tuesday for a stint at the MRF Pace foundation.
“With an eye on India's tour to pace-friendly South Africa at the end of this year, Sehwag will be looking to sharpen up against some of the country's most promising quicks. He will also be looking to make the most of Australian legend Glenn McGrath's presence,” says teh Toi report, adding that McGrath, who took over at the foundation from Dennis Lillee, is in town on one of his regular coaching visits.
“Sehwag and McGrath have been part of some intriguing duels between bat and ball in the past so the Australian may be just the man to show him where he is going wrong. Sehwag's last act for India was in the second Test of Australia's tour at Hyderabad in March. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, M Vijay and Rohit Sharma have since kept him out of the side in all three formats. The third opener's slot in the Test side is still up for grabs though, and Sehwag is taking a different approach to that of Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir,” says the report.
Meanwhile according to a report in Deccan Chronicle, India discard Gautam Gambhir's woeful form in the county circuit continued as he failed to make a significant contribution for the third time in a row during a one day game for the Yorkshire Bank Pro 40 Championship.
Gambhir made only 2 after Essex captain James Foster elected to bat at the Old Trafford ground. The left-hander, who is fighting to make a comeback into the Indian team had scored 31 in a first-class game against Northamptonshire and 21 in a Pro-40 game against Derbyshire. Gambhir was the first batsmen to get out after facing nine deliveries as he poked at an away-going delivery of seamer Kabir Ali which was snapped up by veteran South African Ashwell Prince in the slip cordon.