Sehwag not single.

Sehwag on 199. Last man Ishant Sharma at the other end. Ball played square, clear of any fielder. The single is on - Sehwag can score his 200th run. After how the team collectively threw in towels, underwear, inhibitions, you’d forgive him this tiny trespass. Go on Viru, get the single, get the 200th run - Ishant can block a few balls. But he doesn’t take the single. He waits it out.

And leaves you to ponder if any of the record breakers in this Indian team would have overlooked that single. Forget the Indian team - is there anyone in world cricket who would’ve let that single go?

But Sehwag continues to block. The big tease is saved for that elusive 200th run. The drift is towards a customary six. There is no six coming. Bat pad kissed together, ball smothered into the ground.

Is Sehwag playing for Ishant? Is he playing for the 400 runs he spoke about? Is he playing to instruct – impart patience where none existed? Is it a pointer to the mainstay of Indian batting – and to the powers behind them? Either way, it’s worth a think. But who will?