New Delhi: Virender Sehwag still feels the insatiable hunger for scoring runs and says he would like to make the most of his current form by scoring ‘big runs’ for Kings XI Punjab in the ongoing Indian Premier League. Sehwag came into the IPL at the back of a decent domestic run but by his own admission, he has not been able to cash in on the starts despite showing glimpses of his brilliance.
“The form has been good, I feel good about my batting but have not been able to convert the starts I am getting. Hopefully, I can set that straight and score some big runs for my team in the coming games,” Sehwag told PTI today. The 36-year-old, who has now fully adjusted to batting with eye glasses after years of experimentation, has 95 runs in five games at an average of 19 with 47 against his former IPL team Delhi Daredevils being the highest.
In the absence of George Bailey, Sehwag captained Kings XI Punjab to a thrilling Super Over win in their last game, ending Rajasthan Royals’ winning run in the tournament. However, the last year’s runners-up have got serious work to do after losing three of their first five games. With Glenn Maxwell struggling to score runs, Sehwag said the form of Shaun Marsh and David Miller augurs well for the team going into the remainder of the tournament.
Marsh played a cracking knock of 65 in his first match of the season to take his team to victory against Royals at Ahmedabad. “It is not possible to win five out of five games every time. It is a long tournament so you have to perform consistently and that is what we will look to do. The last match was good for us, the batsmen did really well to the get the team over the line.
“We have our top batsmen, Miller and Marsh, in good touch. What was good about the win was that each player took the responsibility and delivered. Mitchell (Johnson) was told to bowl the Super Over and he bowled beautifully and won the game for us,” said Sehwag, who is opening with Murali Vijay this season.
He is into his second season with Kings XI Punjab after leaving Delhi Daredevils in 2013. Asked about his experience with the team, he said: “It is pretty chilled out for me here. The coach (Sanjay Bangar) and captain (Bailey) are there to take all decisions and I can just focus on my batting. The priority is to give the team a good start with Vijay and hopefully it turns out to be a good tournament for us”. Sehwag, who has reiterated his desire for an India comeback, says he is in good space and just happy playing. On playing alongside the likes of Johnson and Maxwell, Sehwag said he enjoys the company of big players as much as the younger crop.
“My experience has been good with everyone. It has been enjoyable here. I am more than happy to help younger players or anyone else who seeks my advice,” he added.
