On Friday, March 28, cricket lovers all across the world, and especially several hundred million Indians, were awestruck by Virendar Sehwag’s audacious triple century against South Africa at Chennai’s Chepauk cricket ground. The manner in which he was playing and the momentum he had built up raised expectations that he would perhaps cross Brian Lara’s record of 400 runs in Test cricket. Alas, that was not to be, because soon after resumption of play the next morning Sehwag lost his wicket at 319 runs, causing a stunned silence in the packed stadium at Chepauk. But even as he walked off the ground to the thunderous applause that broke out, he had already set a record with the fastest triple hundred in Tests off only 278 balls, silencing his critics convincingly that the old Virendar Sehwag, whose prowess left all of India enthralled in the past, is very much around.

Sehwag’s career in the last couple of years has encountered a rocky path. By his own admission, “When I got dropped from the side, it hurt me a lot.” For a player with his gift and abilities, this was the major motivation to prove himself yet again. “In a way it did better for me, I wanted to prove to myself that I belonged, that I am a better Test player than people think. I wanted to get my place back. I concentrated and motivated myself to make big scores. If one has to be in the team, one has to prove oneself.” This statement provides an indicator of the man’s inner resolve.

... contd.