Virender Sehwag calls ex-Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq 'best middle-order batter from Asia'

Virender Sehwag has called ex-Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq the best middle-order batter from Asia. Speaking his heart out on Gaurav Kapoor’s Breakfast with Champions YouTube show, the former India batter said people talk about legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, but to him, Inzamam was as good as any batter from this part of the world.

Sehwag said since Sachin is not counted among the rest as the India batter is the greatest-ever, Inzamam, off all the other middle-order batters from Asia, stands out as the best.

“Everyone talks about Sachin Tendulkar, but Inzamam-Ul-Haq is Asia’s biggest middle-order batsman,” Sehwag told Gaurav Kapoor on Breakfast with Champions.
“See, Tendulkar was above the league of batsmen. So he doesn’t count. But when it comes to the most superior-middle order batsman across India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, I have never seen anyone better than him (Inzamam),” Sehwag added.

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Elaborating on what made him call Inzamam the best, Sehwag said unlike other batters or captains during the early 2000s, Inzamam was not afraid of chasing down huge totals – even if the run rate is above eight.

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A World Cup winner with Pakistan, Inzamam had scored over 10,000 runs in ODIs and was instrumental in leading Pakistan to heights during that era. Speaking on the same lines, Sehwag said,

“In that era – 2003-04 – he used to talk about scoring eight an over. He would say, ‘Don’t worry. We’ll score easily. 80 required in 10 overs, any other players would panic, but he was always confident,” Viru said.

When Sehwag asked Inzamam to make field changes

Having detailed everyone on this specific incident a few times before, Sehwag again pulled attention to this hilarious incident where he being an opposition player, asked Pakistan captain Inzamam to make field changes during a Test in 2005.

Sehwag revealed while playing Danish Kaneria, he asked Inzamam to bring a fielder up so he could hit him for a six. Surprisingly, the Pakistan captain took that as a challenge and made the necessary field change, leading to what Sehwag had promised him.

“It was in 2005. Kaneria (Danish) was bowling round the wickets right at my pads. They were trying to stop me from scoring. I played an over or two defensively. I said to him, ‘Inzy bhai, it’s been a while. Now my legs are also hurting… How long should i stretch and take it on my pads?

“I told him to call the long-on fielder inside the circle. He asked me what I’d do then. I said that I’d hit a six. He said ‘your are joking.’ I said, ‘sent the fielder back if I don’t hit a six,” Sehwag said.

“He agreed and called the fielder closer. Kaneria bowled a googly. He didn’t know about this and I hit the googly for a six over long-on. Kaneria got angry. He said, ‘Inzi bhai, why did you bring the fielder up?’ Inzamam told him; ‘Be quiet, you don’t know what’s going on here…Go back and bowl. Otherwise, I’ll send you out from the ground."

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