Birmingham: Hopes of a blazing start by the Indian openers were dashed in the very second over as Virender Sehwag, the much-touted saviour of Team India's sagging fortunes, fell for a golden duck on day one of the third Test against England at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
Indian skipper MS Dhoni had on the eve of the game spoken how Sehwag "believes more in seeing the ball and giving it the kind of treatment it deserves". But on Wednesday, the batsman could hardly believe what he saw as Stuart Broad produced a peach of a delivery first up. Continue reading below
Sehwag, playing his first Test in England since 2002 and back from an injury layoff after a shoulder surgery, was out caught behind as the ball climbing steadily on the batsman held its line just enough to kiss the top of Sehwag's gloves.
This was Sehwag's 13th duck in Test cricket and the fifth against England. This was also his fifth golden duck in Tests. The previous four have come against Australia (Brisbane, 2003-04), Pakistan (Rawalpindi 2003-04), Sri Lanka (Ahmedabad 2005-06), and South Africa (Durban 2006-07)
Sehwag had done everything to move his body out of the line of the ball, but the hands stayed down with the bat and that was to be his undoing. The umpire initially ruled him not out, but the confident England players asked for a review and the hot spot immediately showed that the ball had indeed given the glove a peck.
A more technically correct player would have lifted his arms to let the ball pass, but Sehwag is just the kind of player he is. Clearly the rub of the green was not destined to go his way today.
Sehwag's return was supposed to be a shot in the arm for the Indian team. For the first time, the regular opening pair of Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir came out to open the innings for India, but it took Broad just one delivery to dash India's hopes. Rahul Dravid, for the nth time was back in the thick of things early in the innings.
Hopefully, Sehwag will make up for the disappointment in the second innings.
