Dazzling the World from 2000 to 2010, Virender Sehwag was one of the best things to have happened to Indian Cricket. When you talk about match winners, Sehwag’s name is the first to come to mind. Only a few could hit the ball as hard as him, yet make the batting look so effortless. He scored at a pace incomprehensible in Test Cricket. The Nawab of Safdarjung was and is a phenomenon that will be hard to replicate on a cricket pitch.
Cricketers come, make their individual records and leave. But only a few are fondly remembered after they retire. And certainly, Virender Sehwag, the man who revolutionized Test Cricket, will not be forgotten anytime soon. Viru Pa left behind a legacy, which we bring to you in the 5 reasons why he is missed on the cricket field.
#1 An uninhibited approach
Sehwag’s batting approach was fearless; uninhibited. He showed valor in every delivery he faced. He put no curbs and limitations on his natural instincts. The opener, one of the best openers in fact, either played fearlessly, or give up on his wicket, there was no in between.
Not only did Sehwag succeed, but his mammoth scores came with dash and panache, even against the most defensive bowling attacks. It was a heartwarming treat to watch him tame the bowlers during his innumerable number of outstanding innings, which he played with sheer audacity – a trademark of the batting legend.
“Up, up and there it is! Huge six! 300 and can you believe it he got it with a six. The audacity to think about just launching one over deep mid-on… a brilliant 300. Here is the new member of the 300 club – Virendra Sehwag!”
Only the fearless Sehwag could reach a landmark 300 with a huge six.
#2 He would blast from the first ball itself
How often do we see an innings begin with a boundary? Not very often. Opening batsmen try to negotiate the new ball by investing some time in settling down, going into defensive block or simply leaving the ball away. Sehwag reminded the batsmen that they do not always need time to adjust to the crease and wind-speed, or not look overconfident. He is remembered as the God of hitting first ball fours, and sometimes sixes as well.
One cannot forget how he opened in the matches of the 2011 World Cup. Out of the 8 matches that he played, the swashbuckling batsman hit a four on the very first ball in 5 of the matches. Hitting a boundary off the very first ball you face, especially in a World Cup game, is an art which not everybody can master.
#3 He was clever and came up with intelligent ideas
Sehwag was a sharp observer, and when he advised the skipper, the latter would have to oblige. Remember that match from January 2008?
If it had not been for Virender Sehwag's advice, Ishant Sharma may just have missed the chance to get the crucial wicket of Ricky Ponting, which turned the game in India's favour. Skipper Anil Kumble was all set to remove Ishant from the attack when the stump microphones recorded an interesting conversation Kumble had with Sehwag.
Sehwag walked up to Kumble and advised him to persist with Ishant as Ponting was having a bad time facing the then 19-year-old pacer.
"Meri baat maano... Ponting strike par hai aur ladka (Ishant) rhythm mein hai,” (Trust me, Ponting is on the strike and Ishant is in rhythm) were Sehwag's words of wisdom.
Paying heed to the advice, Kumble asked Ishant, "Ek aur karega?” (Will you bowl one more over?)
Ishant replied, "Haan Karoonga” (Will do) and got Ponting caught behind of the very first ball of that extra over. That’s Viru Paaji for you!
#4 Only Sehwag could keep the opponent team on tenterhooks
One of the most entertaining aspects of Sehwag’s batting was his sheer unpredictability. Unless you know a player’s game, it is difficult to set the field. And almost no field setting could ever stop those boundaries.
Most batsmen would nudge the ball around for singles after getting a few boundaries in the over. But Sehwag would still go after the ball and smash it out of the park. Sometimes, he lost his wicket in the process but that was the kind of thrill he got into the game.
And when the situation demanded a boundary, he would sometimes settle for singles. He played cricket with the mind, and knew how to make the bowling look toothless.
#5 Crowd gathered to watch him play
Given that he was a pure entertainer in every sense of the word, not many people could resist not watching Sehwag’s innings live. As soon as the master walked out on the field, you could notice crowd gathered near any available TV in a roadside shop and cheer in unison.
The crowd knew something spicy was about to happen when India started their innings. And once Sehwag was dismissed, people would get back to their routine. Such was the charm of Virender Sehwag.
Happy Birthday to the man who redefined destruction, and is now winning our hearts with his whimsical commentary and humorous tweets.
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