India's explosive opening batsman Virender Sehwag [Images] says he is ready to rein in his free-swinging style and take on a more responsible role for the sake of the team.

The 27-year-old Delhi player believes that would provide a platform for India's talented crop of newcomers to improve further ahead of next year's World Cup.

"I'm a senior member and vice captain so I have to just change my batting style," he told Reuters in an interview.

"Sometimes the team demands I should bat until 25 or 30 overs, sometimes they want me to bat the way I (usually) do," he said. "Definitely, I will adapt to the situation quickly now.

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"Now I'm learning how to bat for the first 20 overs without taking any risk."

India, eyeing their first major Test series victory outside the sub-continent for two decades, leaves on a Test tour of West Indies [Images] on Friday to play five ODI's and four Tests. Sehwag said he has set himself a simple goal - score at least a century each in the Tests and one-dayers.

With Sachin Tendulkar [Images] sidelined for the one-dayers due to injury, Sehwag will be expected to anchor the batting in West Indies with captain Rahul Dravid [Images] when the series starts next week.

"West Indies are struggling a bit and we are building a new team," said Sehwag. "We have a good combination with bowling and batting, so we can do well."

India's confidence in one-dayers in the build-up to the World Cup has been boosted by the form of youngsters such as batsmen Yuvraj Singh [Images] and Suresh Raina, stumper Mahendra Dhoni [Images] and all-rounder Irfan Pathan [Images].

"Our attitude has changed," he said. "If you look at Yuvraj, Dhoni, Raina and Pathan, they are finishers. They don't leave it to another person."

CONFOUNDING CRITICS

India's one-day resurgence over the past few months has seen them notch a world record 16 consecutive victories chasing a target, lifting them to third in the one-day rankings from seventh last year.

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Sehwag, whose shot-making often mirrors that of teammate Tendulkar, has been a key member of the team since 2001. He scored a then seventh fastest one-day hundred off 69 balls versus New Zealand [Images], followed by a racy 105 on his Test debut in South Africa.

The unorthodox batsman has often confounded his critics, smashing 195 in one day in the Melbourne Test on the 2003-2004 Australia tour. He also became the first Indian to score a Test triple century with 309 in the first Test in Multan during the historic maiden series triumph in Pakistan two years ago.

Sehwag has a world-class average of 52.23 from 45 Tests, but has come under scrutiny after hitting just one half-century in his last nine innings. His one-day form has been worse, just five fifties to show from the last 39 innings.

Sehwag denied it was a case of a mid-career crisis.

"I don't think I should change my technique, my temperament," he said, speaking after playing in a local match. "It is a matter of one innings."

"The way I played in the Pakistan first game, before that I was not getting runs. Suddenly, I hit 254 almost in one day.

"It is just a matter of confidence, if you play in one innings after that you get confidence and you carry on with it."