Former opener feels India remain overwhelming favourites to win the World T20 title and showered praise on Virat Kohli, saying that even his kids can't move away from the TV set when the batting star is at the crease
Virender Sehwag
New Delhi: Former opener Virender Sehwag feels India remain overwhelming favourites to win the World Twenty20 title and showered praise on Virat Kohli, saying that even his kids can't move away from the TV set when the batting star is at the crease.
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Virender Sehwag. Pic/AFP
"I had picked India, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies before the start of the tournament. I still feel that way, with India winning the title 99 percent. Okay, they lost to New Zealand in Nagpur but the same thing happened in 2011 (when India lost to South Africa in Nagpur) and we went on to the win the World Cup," Sehwag told 'NDTV'.
India's next match is against Bangladesh on March 23 and Sehwag sees the hosts winning it comfortably. Talking about India's win against Pakistan at the Eden Gardens, the former opener richly praised the team's batting mainstay Kohli. "The way Kohli is batting at the moment is amazing. It is difficult to take your eyes off the TV when he is batting.
Even my kids want to see him bat," said Sehwag after being reminded of his witty one-liners while commentating on the Indo-Pak clash. He had quipped during commentary that "Pakistan ko goli se nahi Kohli se dar lagta hain (Pakistan don't fear bullets, they fear Kohli)".
Asked about replacing Hardik Pandya with spinner Harbhajan Singh in the playing eleven, Sehwag said: "I had said it on air during the Pakistan game that Bhajji should have played. He is your most experienced spinner and if the pitch is turning he should play. He will bowl his four overs and that will be good for the team". Sehwag, however, wants Ravindra Jadeja to remain in the eleven though he has been not at his best with the bat of late.
"He is bowling well and you need him batting at number six-seven in case the top order fails. I would not want to replace him yet," he said. The once feared batsman also feels MS Dhoni has at least four to five years of cricket left in him. "He is just 34, Sachin (Tendulkar) played till 40. He can play for another four years and it will be great if he can end on a high after the 2019 World Cup."
Sehwag, who retired from all forms of international cricket last year, was asked to pick a player who is capable of carrying forward his legacy. "At the moment no one is there. We will see about the future," the great with a no-nonsense approach summed up.
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