Playing cricket at an international level comes with a lot of restraints on your character and also on your outlook of the game. What seems easy to say from the stands or from the other side of the television changes into a reality show of horrid contests when you are facing a bowler hurling missiles at you around 140-150 lays.
However, there were always a few exceptions and in Indian colours, the most notable of them all was none other than India’s most favourite opener, Virender Sehwag. Smashing the cherry out of the park while warbling the most melodious Bollywood numbers, his aggressive stance against his counterparts were so dear not just to the fans but also his teammates.
When most cricketers used to go into a defensive stance closing on to his century, Sehwag used to prance away to the magical figures with either an emphatic boundary or a sixer. We will look at ten instances, where Sehwag had his own way of winning over the hearts of his fellow cricketers.
- When his advice for Kumble cost the legendary spinner his century
It was one of the best innings of India’s best Test spinner, Anil Kumble, as he was harbouring a wondrous knock of 87 against the nasty deliveries of the Australians and his steady innings, helped India get through to a mammoth score.
However, when the players came in for a tea break, Sehwag had a piece of advice for Kumble. He asked Kumble to wrap it up fast and smack a boundary. This is how Viru wanted him to complete his century.
Kumble saw sense in it and wanted to take Johnson for a ride. Unfortunately, the blistering pace of the southpaw took Kumble off guard and Gilchrist pouched a safe catch.
- Sehwag justified himself after what felt like a nefarious felony to the Indian spinner
The Indian opener wanted some excitement at the end of the innings as he found the knock extremely boring. So he spurred Kumble to go for the kill. Haplessly, it seemed that Kumble’s batting skill was not of tantamount stature like that of Viru.
- When Sachin couldn’t resist himself from Sehwag’s tempting words of wisdom
Sehwag was new to Test cricket and he still dealt with the bowlers pretty much in his own style as he hammered them with unreserved ecstasy. He saw Sachin defending his way throughout. Viru walked up to the Master Blaster and asked him that despite the bowling being so easy why is Tendulkar into such a defensive mode. Sachin took those words to his heart and trying to go for a big one, he ended up giving an easy catch to the wicket-keeper.
- Sehwag had ample guts to ask the Wall of India to smash
Virender Sehwag’s Hulk-Esque personality of taking the bowlers by storm always brought him closer to the crowds. Now to make matters interesting, he went up to Rahul Dravid and asked him to hit it. The exact words were, “Just hit it, man”.
- Saurav Ganguly had a few words of wisdom for the Indian Hulk
The Captain America of the Indian cricket team told Sehwag that he must wait at least for the first ten overs and adopt a reserved brand of batting and then should let his firepower loose.
- Did Sehwag actually listen to his captain?
Laxman put it simply that in one fine match against England, Viru went for the early explosives and in the process got out quickly. However, he had zero regrets for the same as he walked into the dressing room and confessed that he has done his part. Now it’s up to the others to play theirs and win the match.
- When Brett Lee was taken aback by Viru
One of the fastest bowlers in international cricket put it simply that in a Test match, Lee always used to open with a bouncer. However, it hardly mattered for Sehwag as he used to hammer it into the stands.
Lee’s words to himself were, “Jesus, Viru it’s a Test match. Relax.”
- Ashwin was violated by Sehwag’s outrageous remark
The Indian offie asked Sehwag for a few words of wisdom on his bowling. However, Sehwag replied that he doesn’t feel that off-spinners are bowlers. They do not trouble him at all.
- Sehwag knew what he wanted for the World Cup. It was not the trophy but…
Ashwin was informed by Gary Kirsten that Viru would love to say a few things to the off-spinner after their game in Bangalore. Sehwag walked up to Ash and said, “Great game in Dhaka, now tell me how many complimentary passes are everyone promised?”
According to Ashwin, everyone was promised 6 passes but the numbers were later reduced to 3.
- Sehwag was more worried about free tickets in World Cup rather than facing Dale Steyn
Zaheer said that Sehwag was more worried about the number of free tickets which were offered to the players in the World Cup instead of the fact that they had to face South Africa in the upcoming day.
To cap it all off, in a one-off incident, Sehwag got out for 293 against Sri Lanka and not ruing the fact that he gave up on a triple-century, he came to the dressing room, opened his helmet and started combing his hair.
