Virender Sehwag, who was born in the Delhi suburbs, has gracefully paved his way to being regarded as one of the greatest batsmen the world has ever seen.
Sehwag established an unstoppable ability to hit the ball out of the pitch with minimal balls and thoughtful footwork, thanks to his remarkable similarity to Sachin Tendulkar’s style of play and build.
He is a right-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler who has been lauded by critics for his good upper cutting and square cutting.
The Indian national team, Asia XI, Delhi, Delhi Daredevils, ICC World XI, India Blue, Kings XI Punjab, Leicestershire, Marylebone Cricket Club, Rajasthan Cricket Association President’s XI – currently active in Delhi, Delhi Daredevils, and Kings XI Punjab are among the major teams for which he has played.
Childhood
His passion for batting was ignited by a toy bat he got as a present when he was about seven months old, despite having no links to the world of cricket.
While his parents initially opposed his cricket dreams, his relentless pestering eventually won them over and they became his supporters.
Career
During his graduation, Sehwag was recognised for his outstanding performance and was given the opportunity to play for the North Zone cricket team in the Duleep Trophy in 1997-1998.
He played for the India U-19 team in a series against South Africa after a good series of matches, and his outstanding statistics secured him a place in the Indian national team.
Unfortunately, his ODI debut (in April 1999) did not go as expected, as he was sent off after scoring just one run. In the same session, he had already given up 35 runs in three overs. He was not offered another chance to play for India for the next 20 months after such a demoralising result.
In comparison to his results at the start of the 2007 World Cup, his subsequent matches were also unexceptional.
Sehwag made his Test debut against South Africa in late 2001. Despite the team’s defeat, he scored 105 points for them.
His ascension to dominance came when he scored 114 runs off 87 balls against Bermuda, leading India to victory in the 2007 World Cup, which was India’s only victory.
His results graph rose over time as he won prestigious honours and set new milestones, making his name one that would soon be chanted during cricket matches.
Achievements
His notable milestones include being the fastest to score 150, 200, 250, and 300 runs in a test innings, as well as the fastest to cross the 150 and 200 mark in one-day internationals.
He is the only Indian to win the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World award, which he won twice, in 2008 and 2009.
Retirement
After being out of the side for nearly two years, Virender Sehwag declared his retirement from international cricket.
Nonetheless, he continues to remain in the headlines in relation to his education, Sehwag International School, where 22 students have achieved national or international success in sports.
Overall, Virender “Viru” Sehwag is a vital part of Indian cricket, a witty Twitterati with just the right amount of sass and a personality who has unquestionably made India proud on the international stage.