Virender Sehwag needs to be at peace with Dhoni: Akram

Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram on Sunday said that though Virender Sehwag is too good a batsman to be ignored, he needs to be at peace with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni as he is India's best leader at the moment.

"Dhoni remains India's best leader at the moment and sooner Sehwag realises this, the better. Hence, Sehwag needs to be at peace with him, focus purely on his fitness and the runs shall follow. In cricket, only performance matters and if Sehwag scores the runs he can, fans will automatically adore him," he added.

Reports of rift between Sehwag and Dhoni had erupted in Australia when the captain called the seniors as 'slow fielders'. Sehwag had retorted by saying that Dhoni never told them.

Akram also said that though the Indians are favourites to win the Asia Cup, it will be interesting to see them without Sehwag, who has been rested
for the tournament on fitness grounds.

"It will be interesting to see an Indian team without Virender Sehwag. Numerous stories on Sehwag's 'dropping' have done the rounds in the media but in my book, Sehwag is too good a batsman to be ignored. If he is short on fitness, then it is another thing, but Sehwag remains a dangerous customer on sub-continental conditions," said Akram.

"Having said that, Sehwag needs to change the way he deals with his career at the age of 34. With Rahul Dravid gone and Sachin Tendulkar unlikely to prolong his ODI career, Sehwag needs to play the role of the elder statesman in the team.

(With PTI inputs)