MULTAN, March 29: Virender Sehwag was delighted at scoring India's first triple century in Test cricket on Monday, while master batsman Sachin Tendulkar was disappointed at missing a double.
Sehwag smashed a monumental 309 and Tendulkar hit 194 not out to lift India to 675-5 when stand-in captain Rahul Dravid declared an hour before close on the second day of the first Test here.
"It is obviously very disappointing to have come so close and not be able to achieve it," said Tendulkar, whose 33rd Test hundred left him only one short of former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar's record tally of 34.
"I was aware the declaration was round the corner but I was surprised when it happened. The plan was to give Pakistan an hour to bat and I thought we will get a few overs more to go for it. But once the declaration was made, there was nothing I could do."
Dravid is leading India in only his second Test following a back injury suffered by skipper Saurav Ganguly in the preceding one-dayers which India edged 3-2.
Tendulkar put aside his personal disappointment to pay tribute to Sehwag, who surpassed the previous Indian record of 281 by Vangipurappu Laxman against Australia in Kolkata in 2001.
"It is a great moment for Indian cricket," he said of Sehwag's feat. "A 300-man was needed in India because almost every other country has one. It may have taken a long time to come, but it is better late than never.
"It was such a fabulous knock, watching it at the other end was thrilling. "Such kind of strokeplay is rare. I thought he would go for Matthew Hayden's world record of 380 after he crossed the 300-mark.
"I think Pakistan made such a lifeless wicket because our bowlers had done so well in the one-day series. "The batters have done their job, now it is up to the bowlers to go for it, but we must back them with good fielding.
"The pitch will get slower over the next three days, but I do not think it will trouble anyone much." Sehwag, who publicly stated on Sunday he would go for 300 after ending the first day on 228, said he was a happy man.
"I was ready for 300 since the morning because I had slept well," the 25-year-old Delhi opener said. "I am delighted to achieve the highest score for India. Maybe I am a bit disappointed at missing Hayden's record, but I will settle for a 300 any day.
"This innings will increase my confidence when I bat the next time. I hope I can continue the same form for the rest of the series."-AFP
APP adds: Indian players on Monday heaped lavish praise on Virender Sehwag, nicknamed Viru, for earning a feat for his country that made him the first Indian to join the elite club of triple century makers as its seventeenth member.
"Its fabulous. Its always thrilling to watch Viru when batting", said Sachin Tendulkar, the childhood hero of Sehwag. Skipper Sourav Ganguly sidelined through injury said: "An outstanding innings which settled the issue about opening the innings. He has done a phenomenal job at the top of the order."
Stand-in skipper, Rahul Dravid described the innings as "fantastic effort, full of breathtaking shots- it was a privilege to watch the innings." "I am extremely pleased that Viru has become highest run- scorer in a Test innings. I always thought that he would do it because he scores so fast," he added.
