In 262 balls and 201 runs, he confronted the essence of batsmanship. Against a first-innings total of 570, pressure was assured, yet he began as early as the third over of the day, forcing a drive through the covers off tall off-spinner Arshad Khan. Thereafter, he went about his work with furious abandon. He is accused of lacking technique; as numerous drives and glided angled cuts through point showed, he is quite correct, just not conventionally so.
His game is unique, built on minimal movement of feet, but flawless hand-eye coordination and quick hands. Soon after lunch, after reaching a tenth Test century in just 35 matches, he erupted. Medium-pacer Abdul Razzaq was hit for three boundaries in one over, including a flicked cut through third man that momentarily didn't register, such was the casualness and lack of preparation involved in its creation. Dismissive of landmarks, Sehwag brought up his 150 with a six over long-on off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria. His 200 was brought up with a miscued, looping slog, imperfect in execution, but audacious in intent. In the process, he became the fastest Indian batsmen to score 3,000 Test runs.
But above all, it is his pace that challenges convention. Over his career, he has scored at roughly 4.5 runs an over; here he was faster.
'The only thing in my mind is that I have to hit the loose balls to the boundary,' h e said. 'If I miss out, I always think I can do it off the next ball.'
Two balls after he brought up his second double hundred - his first against Pakistan was a triple - he was gone, caught and bowled by Kaneria.
Such is Sehwag's significance to the team, once he was dismissed India lost two further quick wickets. Sourav Ganguly, hopelessly out of form, lasted four balls, on one of which he was dropped. His dismissal, stumped off a Kaneria googly one ball later, was symbolic of his recent descent given how dominant he once was against spin.
So precocious is he that without his contribution, India might have been contemplating defeat already.
On a pitch that had already seen a double hundred by Pakistan vice-captain Younis Khan and a near-double by captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, India's legend-heavy top order failed to take Sehwag's cue against an inexperienced, but persevering attack. Fast bowler Mohammad Sami, for so long hype without substance, had somehow fashioned a fierce, menacing morning spell from a benign pitch. His dismissal of opener Gautam Gambhir was a pyrrhic victory of sorts, bringing to the crease as it did, hometown boy Rahul Dravid.
Now the top-ranked batsman in the world and fresh from twin centuries in the Kolkatta, Dravid looked composed from the start, until, in trying to sweep Kaneria, he was adjudged leg-before for 22. The low score was keeping in tradition with a bewilderingly poor record on his home turf. Sachin Tendulkar, still in search of the record-breaking thirty-fifth Test hundred, started scratchily. Soon, he countered the spin of Khan and Kaneria by employing paddle sweeps through fine leg and conventional sweeps through square leg or midwicket. His dismissal, caught at point off Shahid Afridi for 41, was sudden, offering Pakistan some respite during the afternoon session when, together with Sehwag in an 85-run partnership, he had threatened to yank the advantage away from Pakistan.
Now 191 runs behind, four wickets in hand and two days to go, another tense, intriguing conclusion awaits.The wicket, as Sehwag said, is 'still very good for batting. It depends on how we play tomorrow, if we bat well till tea then the pressure will be on Pakistan whether they want to play for a draw or go for a win.'
Much will depend on VVS Laxman, who came in after Tendulkar. He made 58 by close, the majority the work of an incorrigible stylist. He unveiled a wristy cover drive early off Afridi crouched, almost on one knee, the kind of pose from which you would make a commemorative statue. Like Sehwag's hand earlier, this too was unique, and for Pakistan's chances of levelling the series, threatening.
'''''India v Pakistan - Third Test, Day 3 - Bangalore, India'''''
File image of cricket ball.
Virender Sehwag's characteristic 201 wasn't enough to help India to safety, as a late spur of wickets in the final session left the hosts at 6-379, in response to Pakistan's first innings score of 570, still trailing by 191 runs, at close of play on Day 3 of the third and final Test of this historic series.

Sehwag dominated each and every Pakistani bowler during his dominant batting display, a second score of 200+ against the sub-continental neighbours. His innings, which could have been brought to an end when he was 43 when Asim Kamal missed a sharp chance at short leg, constituted 28 fours and two mammoth sixes.

Sehwag shared vital partnerships with fellow opener Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar; however none of those blossomed into a dominating partnership, which could have brought the match in the middle, instead of giving Pakistan the edge.

Gambhir was the first wicket to fall on the day, when caught at slip off a wide Sami delivery for 24, ending a 98-run opening partnership. But his wicket had no effect on Sehwag's concentration, as he kept blasting ball after ball, reaching the three-figure mark, when the team scored had reached only 150.

Dravid, on the back of two centuries in the last match, looked solid enough to threaten the Pakistani bowling, however a surprising lapse in concentration had him trapped in front of the wickets off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, for 22. Even as Sachin Tendulkar, the new man in, looked shaky to start with, Sehwag continued his onslaught, reaching his 150, as well as 3000 runs in Test cricket, becoming the fastest Indian to achieve that landmark.

Tendulkar soon found his feet though; even playing the customary paddle sweep that he has made his trademark. His dismissal was brought about by Shahid Afridi, who deceived him, to edge a straight drive to Younis Khan at backward point.

Post-tea, Sehwag galloped to the double hundred, before losing his cool, just two balls later, to Kaneria, giving a simple caught and bowled chance to the leggie. India lost two more wickets, within just 37 runs, to end up on the back foot at the end of the day. Sourav Ganguly, eluded of a century since more than a year, was stumped off a well-disguised googly for one, off Kaneria again, who finished with three wickets.

VVS Laxman remained unbeaten on 51, with Irfan Pathan joining him at the fall on the sixth wicket, that of Dinesh Kaarthick for 10.