I will play my natural game: Sehwag

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NEW DELHI: Not amused with the praise and brickbats he gets in equal measure from them, Indian opener Virender Sehwag today hit out at his critics, saying that he has never been bothered by their comments and would concentrate on playing his natural game.

"Jab haathi chalta hai toh bahut saare janawar bhaungkte hai (when an elephant walks a lot of animals bark), but the elephant keep walking without giving much importance to the lesser animals. And that is exactly how I like to deal with my critics," Sehwag told reporters when asked about the praise and brickbats he got in the equal measure.

"It is the players who go out there and perform and not the critics. It is very easy to sit and criticise players.

Anyone and everyone can do that," said Sehwag after launching a sporty collection of 12 Timex watches for the next year's cricket World Cup.

He said the critics make one God one day and the villain the next day.

"One day they (critics) will make you God and then the very next day they would simply pull you down. So, I just concentrate on playing my natural game and putting in maximum effort," said the swashbuckling opener.

Sehwag felt India will have home advantage in the 2011 World Cup.

"Playing in India would be a benefit for us in the World Cup as we have been playing in these pitches since we were kids and that would certainly give us an edge. However, since other teams also tour India on a regular basis so they also have a fair idea about the tracks and ground conditions," the Delhi batsman said.

He, however, refused to give a direct reply to whether India would be able to break the jinx of no host country having won the World Cup.

"We will try our best to win the World Cup. All we can do is make more than 100 per cent effort and we will surely do that," he said.

He also will not answer when asked if the Indian team is prepared enough for the World Cup.

"You should ask this question to the selectors," he simply said.

"I don't think so," he replied when asked if a listless performance by Indian middle-order batsmen just like in the tri-series in Sri Lanka last month will put extra pressure on the openers.

Sehwag was the lone batsman who performed well in the tri-series in which India finished runners-up losing to Sri Lanka in the final and he said he would look to carry his form in the 2011 World Cup.

"I hope to carry my present good form into the next year World Cup and contribute to my team's success," he said.

Asked if he would be able to score 200 in one-dayers, as had been done by Sachin Tendulkar, if he gets full 50 overs to bat, he said, "There are many cricketers who can score 200 in 50 overs but we don't play for records. I always want to score as many runs as possible."

Sehwag also praised wrestler Sushil Kumar, who became the first Indian grappler to win a gold in the World Championship.

"I am very happy for Sushil. I hope he translates this performance in the Commonwealth Games also. He used to stay in Najafgarh and we used to see him practice, he said.

"But I never dared to break the glass of his house while playing cricket as I used to be extremely scared of him," Sehwag joked.