Virender Sehwag says patience is key to conquer Murali

Virender Sehwag says the key to conquer Muttiah Muralitharan is patience. How much of that quality will the dasher display in Galle today is a million dollar question

REMEMBER VIRU? Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene successfully appeals for a leg before wicket decision against Virender Sehwag off Muttiah Muralitharan during the Colombo Test of 2008. PIC/AFP

Patience is something Virender Sehwag will not be very well known for. But against spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, he has had to use whatever he could muster.

In a first person piece for Cricinfo, Sehwag said: "Over the years I learnt I needed to be patient. I think that helped me get those three centuries I made against Sri Lanka in the last three years ufffd a double-century in Galle, a century in Kanpur and another double in Mumbai, last December."

Interestingly, the piece has been published at a time when the Indian opener will need to push on from where he left off if India are to prosper on Day Four of the opening Test at Galle.

Runs among ruins
Sehwag was unbeaten on 85 off 98 balls at the end of the Day Three and he watched from the other end what Muralitharan can do to the best in business. After Lasith Malinga had a hand in the dismissals of Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid, it was time for Sachin Tendulkar to return to the pavilion.

This time, trapped by Muralitharan for eight to send shivers through India's dressing room door.

Sehwag admitted that he couldn't tackle the off-spinner's doosra in the past. But his double hundred in Galle two years ago must have given him loads of confidence. "I decided to treat every ball (in Galle, 2008) as if it was a doosra and play it towards cover. I didn't hit the ball hard, just used timing to direct it towards cover.

Along with that, I waited for loose balls to play shots on the back foot," he said.

Of course, the dasher won't forget that it was Muralitharan who deprived him of his third Test triple hundred - at the Brabourne Stadium last year. With glory close at hand (he would have become the only batsman apart from Bradman to score three triple hundreds in Tests), Muralitharan had him caught and bowled for 293.

There isn't a better time for India's most exciting batsman to win yet again against Muralitharan. It's also probably his last chance.

"I will miss facing Murali," he said. "He is the most difficult bowler I played against."

What a tribute, Sir!