Dubai: Desmond Haynes, who formed one of the world's most destructive opening pairs along with Gordon Greenidge for the West Indies, is a big fan of Indian opener Virender Sehwag.
"I am a Sehwag fan and if he is batting anywhere I make sure to watch him," remarked Haynes, who is here to conduct a coaching clinic at the G Force Cricket Academy.
"Sehwag has the ability to take any bowler to the park. All he needs to do is be a little smarter. A lot of people now tend to bowl into him because if he is allowed to chance his arms, he may destroy them. Sehwag should now realise that every one will bowl very close to his body and hence should practice to play more shots off his body," added Haynes, who with Greenidge put on 16 century stands and four double century partnerships and amassed 6482 runs between themselves.
"Another exciting player for me is Yuvraj Singh and I am glad he is being given the opportunity again to play Test series against Sri Lanka. However, I reckon Sunil Gavaskar as the best opener the world has ever seen," said Haynes, who enthralled budding cricketers at the academy with tales from his playing days.
Haynes cracked 7,487 runs with 18 centuries in Test cricket and piled up 8,648 runs in one-dayers with 17 centuries and 57 half centuries.
Thrash talk
He laughed loudly in typical West Indian style when a few parents complained as to how mercilessly he used to thrash the Indian attack.
"My role was to play the supporting role to Gordon Greenidge, who was a better player. In one-dayers, I was given the opportunity to go after the bowling in the first 15 overs. My captain Clive Lloyd wanted me to give a quick start and that is how it all began," said Haynes to a query over his batting style.
"Gordon and I had a good relationship in the middle. We never used to call for singles and we always did it through eye contact. He was very good at playing pace, spin and swing and I had to really work hard to be the best with him," he said.
The muscularly-built Haynes used to make bowling look so easy, but whom does he reckon as the finest bowler he had played?
"I respected all bowlers especially Richard Hadlee, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Bob Willis and Ian Botham. If I was worried about any bowler, if I wasn't playing well, it is Hadlee. He had a knack of bowling very straight and makes you play at every ball. There are guys who could bowl at 100 miles an hour but they don't make you play every delivery. Hadlee is one who is always at you all the time and makes you defend your wicket all the time. He is really hard to face if you are not in the right nick."
Haynes does not believe that cricket is a batsman's game.
"Many people say that cricket is a batsman's game but a bowler can bowl the worst ball in the world and can get you out. He also has the help of ten fielders and some times eleven. It takes only one mistake for a bowler to get you out and so, I respect all bowlers."