Sehwag: You want a little bit of luck in World Cup knockout video games, however you additionally must play properly

Virender Sehwag, the dazzling opening batter, has confused on the necessity for India to not carry the stress of taking part in World Cup knockouts.

Sehwag, who was formally inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame right here on Tuesday night, recalled how the crew saved damaging ideas away throughout India’s triumphant run within the 2011 World Cup.

“When we were chatting before the games, everyone was telling each other to give your best. Just go out there, give your best. No praising amongst each other,” Sehwag mentioned in a chat with Ian Bishop.

“Gary Kirsten (head coach) also ensured there was no negativity in the dressing room. He just told us to go out and play the best cricket that we can. That worked for us.”

While interacting with mediapersons after his induction, Sehwag performed down the luck issue, one thing that India captain Rohit Sharma had identified through the pre-match interplay with the media forward of Wednesday’s semifinal in opposition to New Zealand.

Read | IND vs NZ, ICC World Cup semifinal: Fortune favours the courageous, says India captain Rohit Sharma

“You need a bit of luck in knockout games, but you also need to play well. I remember against Pakistan in 2011, we had only score 260 odd. But our bowlers bowled to win the match,” Sehwag mentioned. “The team is definitely playing good cricket. Thoda luck bhi mil gaya to sone pe suhaga hoga (A little bit of luck will be like icing on the cake).”

Sehwag was all reward for Rohit, the captain, for main the aggressive means of batting. “He has been batting freely for a while. But now that he is the captain, he is taking more responsibility to good starts and score lot of runs. It’s amazing how he is taking care of Shubman Gill,” Sehwag mentioned.

Sehwag additionally narrated how Zaheer Khan prompt to Sourav Ganguly to advertise him as an opener for India. He recalled a Duleep Trophy sport between North Zone and West Zone on a inexperienced prime the place he scored 180-plus. “It was a green top and they had Zaheer, Ajit Agarkar and Santosh Saxena as pacers. Once I scored, Zaheer told Sourav I should open for India, that’s how I started opening in ODIs,” Sehwag mentioned.

“Later on in England, Ganguly told me I am batting so well in the middle order, I should open in Tests. I told him why can’t you or Sachin Tendulkar do it and I need written assurance about being made to bat in the middle order should I fail. He wrote it on a paper and the rest is history.”

Sehwag, former Sri Lanka captain Aravinda de Silva and former India ladies’s captain Diana Edulji had been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame at a star-studded gathering. The occasion was attended by legends of the sport, together with Sir Vivian Richards, Ricky Ponting and Shaun Pollock. Also in attendance had been Matthew Hayden, Shane Watson, and Mpumelelo Mbangwa.