Date:01/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/01/stories/2008040156361700.htm

Sport - Cricket

A chance for India to go one-up, says Sehwag

Special Correspondent

— PHOTO: S. Subramanium

MEET THE DAREDEVILS: Actor Akshay Kumar, who has been announced as the Delhi Daredevils brand partner, with Shoaib Malik, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir at the launch of the team.

NEW DELHI: Virender Sehwag expects a spinner-friendly pitch at Ahmedabad in the second Test starting against South Africa on April 3 and sees an opportunity for India to go one-up in the series.

“Last time, when we played in Ahmedabad, it was a spinning track and we won the game against Sri Lanka in four days. I am looking forward to a spinning track and India will get the chance to take the lead,” Sehwag said here on Monday.

When asked about the pitch at Chennai, Sehwag said, “everyone is talking about the runs scored (in the first Test) but no one has bothered to highlight Harbhajan Singh’s eight-wicket haul in the match. He deserves a lot of credit that was not given,” said the opener who scored his second triple century in Tests at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

About the uncertainty of his place in the country’s one-day squad, Sehwag said he became “too positive” and paid the penalty in the limited-over format.

“Sometimes when you are too positive, you get out rather than bowlers dismissing you. That is happening to me,” said the opener.

Daredevils parade

Back in form, Sehwag said he was looking forward to continuing the good work in the Twenty20 format and helping his team win the Indian Premier League title.

Earlier, it was the turn of Delhi Daredevils to parade some of its team members ahead of the much-hyped IPL with Hindi film actor Akshay Kumar batting for the city where he was brought up.

The launch function, attended by Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Asif, on Monday afternoon was an opportunity for the owner, GMR Sports, to showcase the actor as the team’s brand partner and announce the team colours in black and red.

The eight-team twenty20 competition will be played on home-and-away basis at eight from April 18 to June 1. Delhi opens its campaign against Rajasthan at the Ferozeshah Kotla on April 19.

Big names

The team also included names such as Glenn McGrath, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Daniel Vettori.

Malik said he was pleased to be around and saw the IPL as a “great opportunity”. He said, “credit should be given to India for planning the event. It is great to have cricketers from different countries playing in one team.”