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India vs South Africa: Shafali Verma and Virender Sehwag’s scandalous shades

India vs South Africa: Shafali Verma and Virender Sehwag’s scandalous shades

Shafali Verma was a child prodigy in 2021. At 17, she was not expected to take the cricket world by storm, especially since she was making her Test debut in Bristol. Taking on a bowling attack that included Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Anya Shrubsole and Sophie Ecclestone at their best is no mean feat, even in your wildest dreams. But Shafali did not flinch at any stage of her batting. Instead, she treated the England bowlers with absolute contempt, played some outrageous strokes and showed no mercy whatsoever.

But soon her luck ran out. Batting on 96, Shafali tried the glory shot but was run out to Shrubsole. She tried in vain to reach mid-off and the mistimed strike robbed her of her maiden Test hundred as she fell agonisingly short. In 2024, the dreaded strike must have been on Shafali’s mind. But with the South African bowling in a batting paradise at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, tired and blasé, Shafali took its toll. She used the pace of Nonkululeko Mlaba, hit a four off the leg side and collected her maiden Test hundred.

Also Read: IND-W vs SA-W: Shafali Verma, Sneh Rana inspire India to 10-wicket win in Only Test

In 2021 she had a heartbreaking end but in 2024 she made sure she reached the triple figure with a boundary, although the shot had more finesse than the raw power Shafali is known for. Shafali has played only 5 Tests so far but in her short career she has given glimpses of a certain Virender Sehwag, who only Indian to have multiple triple centuries in TestsShafali has shown that she is someone for the long term.

The magic of hand and eye

Shafali Verma converted her maiden Test hundred into a double hundred. Courtesy: PTI

When Sehwag started his career, it was hard to imagine him succeeding in Test cricket due to his lack of technique. The same goes for Shafali, who doesn’t rely on technique that much. Sehwag didn’t play copybook cricket like his teammates Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly, who were all technically better. However, the limitations didn’t hold him back.

Instead, Sehwag turned his shortcomings into strengths and kept on blasting bowlers. It was his hand-eye coordination that made the Nawab of Najafgarh stand out. Sehwag was someone who would put the third man in a catching position early in a Test match, when he didn’t mind unthinkable uppercuts. For Shafali too, going for big shots has become a piece of cake, irrespective of the conditions and the opposition’s bowling.

No nervous 90s

Shafali Verma holds the record for the fastest double hundred. Courtesy: PTI

There are uncanny similarities between some of Sehwag and Shafali’s knocks. Both their maiden Test centuries came against South Africa. Both hit boundaries to make their centuries. While Sehwag beat Lance Klusener for a four through the covers in Bloemfontein, Shafali picked deep into the square-leg region of Mlaba at the Chepauk. Both Sehwag and Shafali hold the record for the fastest double hundred by Indians in Tests off 194 balls.

Interestingly, they both came against South Africa and, even more astonishingly, they both played the knocks at the same venue in Chennai. And they both hit sixes while in their 190s. Shafali’s double hundred is also the fastest in the women’s tests after the youngster broke Annabel Sutherland’s record of 248 balls. Both the knocks in Chennai were filled with stunning shots that thrilled the Indian fans.

Milestones don’t push them back into their shells, but rather make them more desperate to get the monkey off their backs. Shafali and Sehwag are not among those who stroll around with singles or doubles when they are on the verge of achieving big milestones. Sehwag was a crowd puller and Shafali is not far off a real favourite.

Bright future for Shafali

Shafali Verma has a bright future ahead. Courtesy: PTI

Sehwag had a memorable career having played 104 Tests in which he hit 23 hundreds and 52 fifties. After the knock in Bloemfontein, Sehwag never looked back and went on to torment most of the bowling attacks in the world. In 2003, Sehwag also bowled in the 190s against Australia at the MCG, as did Shafali against England in Bristol.

But both batters failed to curb their natural instincts after the strange failure. Instead, they let the world know that they were here to dominate. After 5 Tests, Shafali has a staggering average of 63 with 3 half-centuries and a top score of 205 not out. Opening for the national team alongside Smriti Mandhana has helped her immensely.

Also, rubbing shoulders with the evergreen and enigmatic Meg Lanning at DC in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has done wonders for her. In the last 7 months, India Women have played 3 Tests as the BCCI continues to push for more Women’s Tests. If Shafali plays regular Test cricket, she has the potential to become India Women’s best Test batter by the time she ends her career.

Published by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

July 2, 2024