Reuters
New Delhi, May 11: India's explosive opening batsman Virender Sehwag says he is ready to rein in his free-swinging style and take on a more responsible role for the sake of the team.
The 27-year-old Delhi player believes that would provide a platform for India's talented crop of newcomers to improve further ahead of next year's World Cup.
"I'm a senior member and vice captain so I have to just change our batting style," he told Reuters in an interview.
"Sometimes the team demands I should bat until 25 or 30 overs, sometimes they want me to bat the way I (usually) do," he said. "Definitely, I will adapt to the situation quickly now.
"Now I'm learning how to bat for the first 20 overs without taking any risk."
India, eyeing their first major Test series victory outside the sub-continent for two decades, leave on a Test tour of West Indies on Friday to play five ODI's and four Tests. Sehwag said he has set himself a simple goal -- score at least centuries in the Tests and one-dayers.
With Sachin Tendulkar sidelined for the one-dayers due to injury, Sehwag will be expected to anchor the batting in West Indies with captain Rahul Dravid when the series starts next week.
"West Indies are struggling a bit and we are building a new team," said Sehwag. "We have a good combination with bowling and batting, so we can do well."
India's confidence in one-dayers in the build-up to the World Cup has been boosted by the form of youngsters such as batsmen Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, stumper Mahendra Dhoni and all-rounder Irfan Pathan.
"Our attitude has changed," he said. "If you look at Yuvraj, Dhoni, Raina and Pathan, they are finishers. They don't leave it to another person."
Confounding critics
India's one-day resurgence over the past few months has seen them notch a world record 16 consecutive victories chasing a target, lifting them to third in the one-day rankings from seventh last year.
Sehwag, whose shot-making often mirrors that of team mate Tendulkar, has been a key member of the team since 2001. He scored a then seventh fastest one-day hundred off 69 balls versus New Zealand, followed by a racy 105 on his Test debut in South Africa.
The unorthodox batsman has often confounded his critics, smashing 195 in one day in the Melbourne Test on the 2003-2004 Australia tour. He also became the first Indian to score a Test triple century with 309 in the first Test in Multan during the historic maiden series triumph in Pakistan two years ago.
Sehwag has a world class average of 52.23 from 45 Tests, but has come under scrutiny after hitting just one half-century in his last nine innings. His one-day form has been worse, just five fifties to show from the last 39 innings.
Sehwag denied it was a case of a mid-career crisis.
"I don't think I should change my technique, my temperament," he said, speaking after playing in a local match. "It is a matter of one innings."
"The way I played in the Pakistan first game, before that I was not getting runs. Suddenly, I hit 254 almost in one day.
"It is just a matter of confidence, if you play in one innings after that you get confidence and you carry on with it."