Congratulations,Virendra Sehwag!

Congratulations, Virender Sehwag! I find from the pages of the Times of India that you have given two nearly identical interviews -- I mean almost verbatim identical same-same exact -- to one Indranil Basu, on either side of the Jaipur ODI against Sri Lanka. "I am trying to make amends", both interviews are titled.

I read the first interview in the Delhi edition of the Times, dated Oct 31, the date of the Jaipur match. India was then up 2-0 in the series. Haven't found the second interview on the Web, but it's in the Kanpur edition of the times, dated today Nov 2. Having won the Jaipur match, India is now up 3-0 in the series. And consider with me, won't you Veeru, some of what transpired in those interviews?

Question #1 in the first interview reads: "How is team morale after notching up back-to-back wins?"

Question #1 in the second interview reads: "How is team morale after notching up three consecutive wins?" [Italics added].

Whoa, Veeru, that must have been some googly! Nearly identical questions, straight off! But you did well -- your answers to both were verbatim same-to-same identical, I mean down to the last word, "job".

Question #2 in both interviews was: "How is Rahul Dravid as a one-day skipper?" How gratifying to see that you didn't let that identical question faze you either!

In the first interview, you replied: "The performance in the first two ODIs against Lanka speaks for itself ..."

In the second interview, you replied: "The performance in the first three ODIs against Lanka speaks for itself ..." [Italics added].

And here's Question 4, you'd hardly believe it, but once more identical in both cases: "Is the Indian team now a definite favourite to clinch the seven-match one-day series?"

But hey Veeru, once again you did well!

Your reply in the first interview began: "How can I say that now? The encouraging factor is that we are already two-up in the series."

Your reply in the second interview began: "How can I say that now? The encouraging factor is that we are already three-up in the series." [Italics addded].

Quick thinking, Veeru! Well done. Apart from these, the interviews are identical in every respect, and I can't tell you how impressed I am that you managed that. I tell you, it's an achievement I rank higher than your 309 vs Pakistan. And how glad I am -- and you must be -- to the Times for giving you this opportunity to show us your capabilities.

And I can't wait for ODIs #4, 5, 6, and 7 to come along, after each of which we'll read your interviews in which you say "four-up" and "first six ODIs" and the like.