TNN

New Delhi, Apr 9: Less than a month after The Times of India hailed him as "perhaps the best batsman in the world today" on its front page, Wisden, regarded as cricket’s Bible, has declared Virender Sehwag the leading cricketer of the world for the year (2008) - making him the first Indian to bag the honour.

"Sehwag is a marvel of modern times, a genius who has confounded conventional wisdom, whose daring is now a part of cricket’s folklore," writes the cricket almanac in its 146th edition.

Last year, the nawab of Najafgarh smashed 319 off 304 balls, the fastest triple century ever, against South Africa. His unbeaten 201 against Sri Lanka gave India its only Test triumph in a nightmarish series.

Through the year, no other batsman achieved more mental domination over bowlers than him. Who else can begin a cricket tour hitting three sixes off the first three balls?

It gets even better for Indian fans. This year’s Wisden Test XI has five Indians. No other country has more than two.

Apart from Sehwag, M S Dhoni has been named the team’s captain, affirming his talismanic leadership. Sachin Tendulkar inevitably figures.

So does Zaheer Khan, who’s proved lethal with old ball and new, across diverse conditions. And then there’s Harbhajan Singh, proving that he can be a serious threat even when he’s monkeying around.