October 10 Thursday 2002
Sehwag not pleased with career-best knock

MUMBAI: Indian opener Virender Sehwag said on Wednesday he was not entirely satisfied with his career-best 147 in the opening Test against the West Indies.

"I wanted to bat the whole day. I didn't want to get out. I wanted to start afresh tomorrow," said Sehwag whose third Test century in 10 matches helped his team reach 278 for 2.

"It is always good to score a hundred at the top of the order because it helps the team," said Sehwag. "I took some time to settle down because the pitch was slow. There was nothing in it for bowlers. Their (the West Indies') enthusiasm dropped as we didn't lose a wicket for two sessions." The other opener, Sanjay Bangar, said he was 
indebted to Sehwag for scoring his second Test half-century in eight matches. "It's always a pleasure to watch him bat," said Bangar. "He takes the pressure off you with his attacking style. You, too, are tempted to play your shots, but you to have to control yourself."

Bangar played a supporting role during his big stand with Sehwag, relying more on singles and twos. "I am capable of both attacking and defending. There was no need to play shots from both the ends as he was playing so well," said Bangar, who has yet to establish himself as an opener. 

"I've to perform every time I go into the middle because I've yet to establish myself in international cricket.

"But it'd have been better had my knock come in more testing conditions. The pitch became easier for batting after half an hour."