He whacks them, then feels sorry!

"It must be very challenging for them," he replied after India won the ODI series, when asked if he found the Kiwi bowlers challenging at all.

Did he ever feel during the innings that their bowlers were completely down and out? "Oh yea, at least two-three times. But it's not just them. I have seen the Australian, South African and English bowlers feel that way too," he said nonchalantly.

Do you feel sorry for the captain or bowlers, when you bat like that? "Oh yea," he admitted, without bothering to explain.

So are you the most destructive batsman in world cricket today? "No. I don't think so," he said, trying to project a modest face.

But a much larger pool of facts illustrates why he's the most feared batsman today. Sehwag is the only batsman in current international cricket with two Test triple tons. Both were scored at breathtaking speed against respectable attacks: Pakistan and South Africa.

He is a more prolific "big" innings player than anybody else in world cricket. His last 11 hundreds have been 150-plus: 201 not out, 319, 151, 180, 254, 201, 173, 164, 155, 309, 195. Not one of these was against Bangladesh or Zimbabwe.

Barring one, each had a strike rate of 70-plus, amazing by Test standards. The 319 against South Africa in Chennai last year had come off just 304 balls. In terms of strike rate, not even Sir Donald Bradman compares.

His overall ODI average of 34 may be modest by his own standards, but in the last 20 innings, he has averaged an astounding 60.58. And he has succeeded on every surface - in South Africa, Australia, West Indies, Sri Lanka.In bowlers, he induces fear. No other batsman has reduced world-class bowlers to helplessness as consistently in all forms of the game - Tests, ODIs and Twenty20s - as the Delhi opener.

In Sri Lanka last year, when the Fab Four fumbled against mystery slowman Ajantha Mendis, he led the way. Earlier, during the disastrous 2002-03 series against New Zealand, he was the only Indian batsmen to get two match-winning ODI hundreds on violently seaming tracks.

The fact that he has a shot, and enough time for every ball, is the key difference. Short: cut or pull; full: drive, to long-off or long-on; wide: slash; into his body: flick.