Sehwag urges fans, media to back India

India's stand-in-captain on their 4-0 whitewash in Australia

Adelaide, January 28, 2012 (AFP) - Fans and the media should back the Indian team and not seek  

India's Virender Sehwagexplanations for their dispiriting 4-0 series loss in Australia, skipper Virender Sehwag said on Saturday.

The last rites were served on India's miserable series when Australia wrapped up a comprehensive 298-run victory early on the final day of the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval. It was the eighth consecutive away Test loss for formerly top ranked India after a 4-0 series loss in England last year and they have yet to win a series in Australia in 10 tours.

Sehwag, who led the team in place of the suspended M.S. Dhoni in Adelaide, said while fans had every right to be upset by the series outcome, they should get behind the team. "They should be upset with our performances and I totally agree with them, but this is the time the fans should back the team," Sehwag said.

"When we won the World Cup everyone was happy and cheering for Team India, and now this time we need the support of the fans and everybody, they should back their own team."

Sehwag included the Indian media in his call. "Every other media does it, be it England, South Africa or Australia," he scolded.

Sehwag said it was hard to comment when he was asked what former England coach Duncan Fletcher had brought to the Indian team. "It's difficult to tell you. I will not comment on that," he said, then added, "He's a good coach, he's talking a lot to the batsmen and making a lot of strategy, but when you can't execute your strategy then nothing happens."

He said he did not blame Fletcher for his part in the Indian team's demise. Sehwag also bridled at suggestions that the India team did not care about losing to Australia.
"That's very unfair. I think everybody cares about their performances, about India losing the game," he said.

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"We are very passionate about our game and passionate about our team and it's a shame that people are talking about that. If you lose the game you should work out what went wrong and come back and perform well in our next games. We are trying that, but it's not happening and it doesn't mean that we are happy to lose here."
Sehwag said changes in the Indian team were up to the team management and selectors. "That's for the team management and selectors to decide. It's not me and anybody else who will decide. If they think we need changes then they do that," he said.

"I don't think (changes) are due because the same team was playing in the last couple of years when we became the number one team in the world with the same batting and bowling lineup."

Sehwag also defended the absence of Sachin Tendulkar from any press conference during the month-long Test series. "He never gives interviews before, during or after the series. He only comes to the media when he scores runs. Whenever he scores a 100 or more he comes in and handles the media," he said.

Tendulkar, who failed to bring up his 100th international century during eight innings in the series, has now gone without a century for 25 Test and one-day innings. His last hundred (111) was in the World Cup last March.

Tendulkar finished the series with a disappointing 287 runs at 35.87.