Virender Sehwag’s got some advice on advice for youngsters

Batting great Sehwag encourages young openers Shaw, Gill to accept tips but finally do what they feel best

Former India opener Virender Sehwag has urged young opening batsmen Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill to listen to all the advice they get but to do only what they feel is right.

Gill, 21, who has played seven Tests and three ODIs, is currently with the Indian team in England, preparing for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton (June18 - 22).

Meanwhile, Shaw, 21, who has featured in five Tests and three ODIs, lost his place in the national side after India’s eight-wicket loss to Australia in the Adelaide Test in December last year.

“It is up to Shaw and Gill to decide on what advice they feel will help their batting click. Sunni sabki chahiye, lekin karni apni chahiye [listen to everyone, but do only what you want]. At the end of the day, they are the ones who are playing and it is they, who need to perform,” Sehwag, 42, said on the sidelines of the virtual launch of a cricket coaching app on Wednesday.

Sehwag, who accumulated 8,586 runs in 104 Tests, recalled how one good suggestion from three former India skippers helped him get positive results. 

Viru recalls help from greats

“I too got advice from cricketers, ex-cricketers and coaches. Everyone will give you advice, but you need to understand what is best for you. Everyone said that I needed to improve my foot movement, but nobody knew how. Then, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth, advised me to stand around the middle and off stump instead of the leg stump and that helped me a lot,” said Sehwag, who scored 8,273 runs from 251 ODIs. 

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, 48, who played 12 Tests and 15 ODIs, reckoned that a perfect mindset is the key to success at the international level. 

Mindset matters 

“What I believe is that once they [Shaw and Gill] reach the international stage, everything is related to their mindset. For any international player, the more free he is in his mind, the less doubts he has about his methods,” said Bangar.

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