NAGPUR: India may be facing the
prospect of an innings defeat inside four days but dashing opener Virender
Sehwag on Monday sounded confident that the hosts would pull a rabbit out of the
hat and save the opening Test against South Africa.

“Against
Australia (in 2001) we had followed on and won. Anything can happen in this
game. Sachin Tendulkar is still batting and he’s a very experienced hand. Murali
Vijay is also batting well. We will fight it out,” said the flamboyant opener
who scored his 18th hundred in India’s first innings.

India, who
trailed South Africa by a massive 325 runs in the first innings, were 66 for the
loss of Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the second innings and needed 259 runs more
to stave off an innings defeat with only eight wickets and a largely
inexperienced lower order to come.

Sehwag, who made 109 and also put
on 136 runs for the fourth wicket with debutant Subramaniam Badrinath (56) in
the first innings, said the hosts were disappointed with their performance on
Monday.

“We are all upset we did not bat well. We needed a few more
partnerships going but we have to give credit to Dale Steyn who bowled very
well. He used the swing to get the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Murali Vijay
(in the first innings). He also reverse swung the ball well after the ball was
changed just after tea,” he said.

Sehwag said the ball had gone a bit
soft and the umpires agreed to request by the visitors for a change of ball that
was followed by Steyn’s devastating spell of reverse swing which fetched him
five wickets for three runs in 3.4 overs.

Steyn cleaned up the
Indian lower order to end the innings with a career-best 7 for 51.

Sehwag felt the home team batsmen can stall the South African
victory charge but need to look out for runs too instead of simply defending on
Tuesday.

“We still have very good batsmen remaining. They should
also play shots as runs too matter. We will try to bat as long as we can,” said
the 31-year-old batsman.

He also praised S Badrinath for his effort,
saying the Tamil Nadu batsman applied himself well during their century stand.

“Badrinath is a very good player. He has made lot of runs in
domestic cricket. I told him to enjoy his batting and he did well,” he said.

Asked why he chose to stay away from the short balls dished in
plenty by the South African pace duo of Steyn and Morne Morkel, Sehwag said he
was not a good puller or hooker and felt it was better to leave alone the short
stuff.

“I’m not a good puller or hooker of the ball,” he explained.

Sehwag, who threw away his wicket in both the innings, said he
cannot predict how the wicket will behave over the last two days but can only
say “it will not get better”.