Virender Sehwag or Mr Average: Steadiness trumps aggression in investing

Many investors can choose average over exceptional for most of their money. This will give them peace of mind and the freedom to take risks with the rest

You are tasked with picking a batter for your Test team. You have the rare advantage of foresight — you know exactly how their careers will unfold. Your first option: A player who redefined aggression in Test cricket — two triple hundreds, a strike rate near 82, and an uncanny ability to dominate from ball one. But brilliance came with volatility: 28 ducks in 181 innings, and failure to cross 25 runs in 41 per cent of them. However, he still averaged 49, thanks to his massive scores when he got going.

 

Your second option? A model of consistency: Seldom