 Sehwag lost a chance at a record
 St Lucia, June 11: In his moment of triumph, Virender Sehwag, the hero of the opening day's play of the second India-West Indies cricket Test, also carries a sense of loss of missing out on a record - reaching a century before the lunch break.
"I didn't know all those (impending) records but I was aware that no Indian has ever scored a century before lunch," said Sehwag on the record which he missed by a whisker.
"When I took the 99th run, I had gone too ahead to turn back and take advantage of the overthrow even while Wasim (Jaffer) kept calling me for the run," he explained.
Sehwag's 180, nevertheless, is a staggering reminder that his last eight Test centuries have all been 150-plus scores. If he had batted for 20 more runs, this would have given him his third straight double century.
On his slowing down after lunch, Sehwag put it down to the spreading outfield and defensive bowling. "The wicket is slow, the outfield too is very slow. I felt if I could survive the first half an hour, I would go for my shots," he said.
Sehwag acknowledged the role of a new adjustment in his methods and the part played by psychologist Dr Rudi Webster in achieving clarity of thought. "We are trying to take the front stride as far as possible against the medium-pacers. It is not easy, but if you practice it in the nets it is possible." The full stride is intended to negate precise line and length which West Indian bowlers have been trying to pin Indians down with. (Agencies)
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