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Virender Sehwag still hopes to play for Team India again

Out-of-favour Virender Sehwag reckons that he still has two-three years of competitive cricket left in him and a good showing for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 7 will present a strong case for his return to the Indian cricket team.

“I have 2-3 years of competitive cricket left in me before thinking of quitting the game. I can still give 2-3 years. I am looking forward to playing for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL and help them win the title this time,” Sehwag, who was bought for Rs 3.2 crore by the Punjab franchise at the players’ auction, said.

The 35-year-old opener, in his prime, used to score heavily across the world but, of late, his form has deserted him and he looks a pale shadow of his former self.

Sehwag, whose hand-eye coordination and destructive stroke-making helped him dominate the world’s best bowling attacks, now finds himself in a difficult phase where even the regular Ranji bowlers seem to have sorted him out. Not long ago the opener was Indian cricket batting’s mainstay. His famous triple centuries against Pakistan and South Africa in Test cricket and his double hundred against West Indies in an ODI are still being talked about.

But now, Sehwag’s wretched run with the bat has even made his previous IPL employer, Delhi Daredevils, release him before the IPL 7 auctions.

Asked about his future and next year’s ICC 50-over cricket World Cup, Sehwag said, “I am working on my fitness and batting skills. It’s about improving my concentration level and picking the bowler’s length early. I am putting in a lot of hours in practice.

“May be I can play 2015 World Cup, may be not. I am enjoying my game at the moment whether playing at the domestic level, for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL. The important part is I am playing the game and I am happy with it,” he said.