Virender Sehwag's formidable figures

On Friday, Sehwag will become the 9th Indian player to appear in 100 Tests or more, joining Sachin Tendulkar (191), Rahul Dravid (164), VVS Laxman (134), Anil Kumble (132), Kapil Dev (131), Sunil Gavaskar (125), Dilip Vengsarkar (116) and Sourav Ganguly (113).Holds the record for the highest average among openers with 7,000 runs or more Test runs -- 8069 runs at an average of 51.72 in 94 Tests. His 168-ball double century against Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 2009-10 is the quickest by an Indian and the second-quickest in Test history, next only to the 153-ball double ton by Kiwi Nathan Astle against England at Christchurch in 2001-02. Is the only batsman in Test history to have registered three doublehundreds off less than 200 balls. In the list of 10 quickest doublehundreds of all time, Sehwag figures five times. His tally of 22hundreds as an opener is the joint fourth highest in Tests. Is thefirst and only batsman to hit two triple hundreds in Tests and a double ton inODIs. Had scored 284 runs on the second day (293 off 254 balls) against Sri Lanka at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai in Dec 2009 -- the most by an Indian batsman and the third-highest individual tally in a day's play in Tests, next only to 309 by Australia's Don Bradman against England at Leeds in 1930 and 295 by England's Wally Hammond against New Zealand at Auckland in March 1933. Sehwag's strike rate of 82.45 is the highest among batsmen with 6000or more runs. Holds the world record for the fastest triple hundredin terms of balls taken -- 278 against SA at Chennai in March 2008.Virender Sehwag playing his 100th Test match is not just a personal landmark for the batsman. It should serve as a cautionary warning for all those who equate aggressive batting with "poor technique" and a more defensive mindset with good technique. Sehwag's truly staggeringachievements since his entry into Test cricket have proved how misplaced suchnotions are. The truth is that technique must be judged by what it achieves, notby how pleasing to the eye or 'classical' it looks. Fortunately, there were enough selectors around, in India and elsewhere, who did not quite buy into the conventional argument. But for that, we may never have seen a Sehwag, a Sanath Jayasuriya, a David Warner or, who knows, even a Kevin Pietersen in action in a Test match