Mumbai: Going by his style, many expected Virender Sehwag to be the first to breach the 200-run barrier in ODIs. The opener thinks otherwise and tells DNA that he wouldn’t have taken to the game had Tendulkar not played cricket.
You looked very excited after Sachin Tendulkar got to 200.
The special quality of the knock is that it made every Indian proud. It was as if he or she had achieved the feat. Personally, it was no different. I thought as if I scored the double ton, it was a great feeling. He has been my role model and I took to cricket only because of him. If Sachin were not a cricketer, I would not have even touched a bat.
Can you explain the enormity of the feat? How difficult is it to score 200 in 50-over cricket?
It is difficult because there are so many restrictions for a batsman in ODIs. There are only 300 balls to face. This effectively means you have to face at least 150-160 balls without letting the strike-rate drop. Only Sachin can do that.
How do you rate this innings?
It is the best knock I have ever seen. He maintained the momentum. He was playing all over the ground. He knew where to play the ball. His anticipation was also perfect and he knew what the next ball would be and prepared himself for that.
Where do you rate him among all-time greats?
He is the greatest. You can’t compare him to any other cricketer. He is bigger than any cricketer. He is the God of cricket. He is bigger than anyone who has ever held a
bat.
Bigger than Don Bradman?
Yes. He is.
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