When Virender Sehwag Made A 'Yashasvi Jaiswal' Like 200

image-ls5pogc5Sehwag blasted 201* out of India's 329 [X.com]

Yashasvi Jaiswal's excellence mix of great defence and attacking streak towards a maiden Test match double hundred for India in the Vizag Test against England reminded cricket lovers of the swashbuckling Virender Sehwag playing a similar standalone knock for a double century in the Galle 2008 Test match. 

The aggressive and inimitable Sehwag belted six double centuries during his impactful Test career for India but arguably his finest came in the first-innings in the second Test of India's 2008 tour of Sri Lanka. Down one-nil in the three-match rubber, it was Sehwag who revived India's fortunes with one of the greatest-ever knocks played in Test cricket. 

Taking on legend Muttiah Muralitharan and peak Ajantha Mendis with bravery and guts, Sehwag decided to back his naturally attacking instinct and like Jaiswal did, almost singlehandedly kept his team's nose ahead in the contest. 

While Yashasvi Jaiswal made 209 in a team total of 396, Sehwag's magnum opus had him posting a match-winning 201* out of 329. 



When Sehwag Hammered 201* At Galle 

Even as legends Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman failed to counter the threat posed by the Murali-Mendis duo, Sehwag attacked his way to a tremendous double century when the next best score for the innings was 56 from his opening partner Gautam Gambhir. 

Heading into the Test match, Sehwag had spoken about not allowing Mendis and Muralitharan to dictate terms and the amazing right-hander backed his words every step along the way in Galle, hammering 22 fours and 4 sixes while recording a strike-rate of 87.01 on a turning pitch in Sri Lanka's fortress. 

Thanks to Sehwag, India managed to take a slender lead of 37 runs in the first-innings. But the explosive batter didn't settle there but came back to post another influential half-century in the second essay, which elevated the third-innings score to 269 and allowed the tourists to post a winning target of 317. 

Sehwag was honoured with the most deserved 'Player of the Match' title for his scores of 201* and 50 in a Test match where no other batter could manage to win over the difficult batting conditions.