Stand-in captain for Adelaide Test wants fans to support team; reminds them of 2011 World Cup win

For Virender Sehwag, Indian cricket is going through a bad time, and that's his excuse for the collective failure of the batsmen in the just-concluded four-Test series against Australia. "Everybody was practising hard at home, and then we came here (to Australia) and practised really hard. We make our own plans and it didn't click. It happens with every team, with every player. The time is not good for the Indian team, for individuals, maybe that's why we are not scoring runs.


Virender Sehwag

"The moment the time changes, we will see our top-order giving starts and middle-order coming in and scoring big hundreds," the stand-in captain for the fourth and final Test here at the Adelaide Oval told reporters after Australia won by 298 runs.


An Indian supporter holds up a sign during the India vs Australia Sydney
Test on January 4, 2012. Pic/Getty Images

Remember, April?
Sehwag requested the fans and media to support the team in these tough times. "They (the fans) should be upset with our performances, and I agree with them. But this is the time the fans should back the team, back the players. When we won the World Cup, everybody was happy and everybody was cheering for us. Now is the time we need the support from fans and everybody. They should back their own team," he said.

Sehwag, who hasn't scored a Test century overseas since January 2008, admitted to being worried about his personal performances. "It's important for an opener to do well overseas, and I haven't done well. I haven't scored a hundred overseas for the last couple of tours. I have to look at myself and see what I need to do when I go to Australia, England, SA or New Zealand," he said.

One bad series..
When asked how the management was planning to phase out the seniors in the side, Sehwag said: "I think we have the most experienced middle-order and players in the team, and they are well aware of that. They are working on that. One bad series doesn't make any difference for them. They are working hard on their batting skills and hopefully in the coming series, they will do well. They will find a way to score big runs."

Sehwag said the senior players were readying the youngsters for the times ahead. "Our top senior players are talking to youngsters like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and other youngsters, and sharing their experience. That's the most important thing they can do. It depends on when they (the youngsters) will get the chance to play Test cricket. Only when that happens, you will see the results," he said.