Let Sehwag open, Wright urges Indians

SYDNEY: Former coach John Wright has urged India to bring in Virender Sehwag to ease the burden on an embattled Rahul Dravid in the second cricket Test against Australia starting here on Wednesday.
   
"The Indian team is best when it is playing its shots. Sehwag certainly gave us a lot of momentum on the last tour, and I don't know what form he is in but I just feel you have to be positive against Australia and put the bad ball away," Wright was quoted as saying by 'The Age'.
   
"I'm probably biased, but he (Sehwag) gave us so much at the top of the order...I would love to see him back in good form. Then Dravid can slot in at three and things follow from there," he added.
   
Wright felt Dravid should be allowed to play at his number three slot as tinkering with such a crucial position was not in the team's interest.
   
"Rahul looked to me as if he needs a bit of time at the crease. He is a big rhythm player and I am sure he prefers (number) three," he said.

"He succeeded in Australia last time so he has got that behind him. I just felt, looking from here, that the lead-in has been insufficient so Melbourne for any Indian batsman was going to be a very, very severe examination," he added.
   
Wright described Dravid's stature as that of a pillar around whom the team built its innings.
   
"The team needs him because when we did well overseas when I was there, a lot of it was built around his performances," he said.

"I hope they were a gallop short and that Melbourne has done them good so they can get out and show them what they are capable of. Then we might see a different Test," Wright said.