5 occasions when Sehwag sledged the opposition

There will never be another player like Virender Sehwag who could on his day decimate the opposition with a calm smile on his face. The man, who had made Tendulkar eat his words when he brought up his triple hundred at Multan with a six, was dubbed by the legendary McGrath as the 'most unpredictable batsman' he had seen.His ability to stay unruffled and nonplussed in every situation was his greatest boon. But there were times when even Sehwag got involved in a war of words, albeit most of them were very witty exchanges that show he was also a master of mind games.Here are four occasions when Sehwag sledged the opposition.Â

#1 Shoaib Akhtar (Later revealed by Sehwag at an awards function)

Sehwag had an unnoticed altercation with Shoaib Akhtar

Speaking at an awards function in 2010, Sehwag revealed to the audience how he had once sledged Shoaib Akhtar. Akhtar kept on bowling bouncers and telling Sehwag, “Hook maar ke dekha” (Hook me if you you can). Sehwag had replied saying, “Woh tera baap khara hai non-striker end pe, usko bol woh maarke dikhayega” (That’s your father standing at the non-striker's end. Why don’t you ask him to hook you?)

Sehwag had been referring to Tendulkar at the other end and when Akhtar did bowl a bouncer to Tendulkar later, he was hooked for six. Sehwag had then told Akhtar, “Beta beta hota hai, baap baap hota hai.” (A Father will be a father after all, and a son’s a son.”

Sehwag however did not say which match he was referring to and the entire incident was later dismissed by Shoaib Akhtar as false. With no recordings of the original incident available, some suggest that it was a gimmick made up by Sehwag to please the audience.

Another alternative version suggests that this had happened actually during the Multan Test in 2003-04 and Sehwag had responded to Akhtar by saying, "Arey tu bowling kar raha hai ya bheek maang raha hai?" (Are you bowling or begging?) Even the Pakistani fielders had reportedly roared in laughter hearing Sehwag.

#2 Michael Clarke (India vs Australia series, 2003-04)

Sehwag trolled Michael Clarke (Picture courtesy: Cricket Lounge)

In the show Comedy Nights with Kapil, Sehwag revealed how he had once sledged Michael Clarke during the 2003-04 series. When Tendulkar who had been suffering from a back spasm came into bat, Michael Clarke kept taunting him saying he was too old to be playing cricket.

Sehwag who was at the non-striker's end then asked Clarke his age. When Clarke said he was 24, Sehwag asked him to be more respectful to Tendulkar as he had more than 24 centuries in ODIs and Tests.

But when Clarke kept sledging Tendulkar, Sehwag cleverly asked him what his nickname was. When Clarke replied his teammates called him 'Pup', Sehwag infuriated him by asking him, "What is your breed?" Clarke reportedly stopped trying to sledge Tendulkar after that.

#3 Paul Harris (India vs South Africa 1st Test, 2008)

As Sehwag promised, he slammed Ryan Harris for a six

Sledging does not always have to be a heated exchange of words. It can also be a quiet challenge made to unsettle the opposition - at best it is a fine art which has been perfected by very few players.

Sehwag says that when he was batting on 291 against South Africa at Chepauk in 2008, he was bored because of the line on the pads that was being bowled to him. So, he threw an open challenge to Paul Harris daring him to bowl to him round the wicket.

“Come round the wicket and first ball I'll hit you for a six,” Sehwag told Harris. Unable to bear the taunt, Harris took up the challenge. Harris came round the wicket with a long on, long off, deep mid-wicket and deep point. But Sehwag was as good as his word and dismissed the first ball for a straight six.

#4 James Pattinson (India vs Australia 1st Test, 2011)

Sehwag disgruntled with James Pattinson

Sehwag and Pattison came head to head in a furious verbal volley during the Day 2 of the 1st Test in the 2011 series Down Under. Sehwag had flicked Pattinson off his legs and run towards the non-striker's end when Pattinson almost came in his way.

Sehwag at once expressed his displeasure and clearly told Pattinson to move out of his way when he is running. That sparked off a heated exchange of words and Peter Siddle joined in having a few things to say to Sehwag. Sehwag, clearly not happy with Siddle's intrusion, aggressively pointed his bat at him and asked him to go back to his fielding position. The umpire then intervened luckily stopping the incident from boiling off into a clash of Lillee-Miandad proportions.

#5 Harbhajan Singh (IPL)

Sehwag had an altercation with Harbhajan during IPL

In a recent interview to Rediff.com, Harbhajan Singh recounted his experience of bowling to Sehwag during the IPL. "I remember we were playing an IPL match and I was bowling to him. The first ball was hit towards mid-off for two runs and the next was hit for a boundary. Then he tried another big shot but I bowled on his pads and he could not get a run. He took a single from the fifth ball and crossed over," said Bhajji.

"What are you doing Viru? You are trying to hit every delivery?" he had asked Sehwag, slightly baffled. And Sehwag had replied, "I have played you for so long, in the nets and all, and I know your bowling so well, how can I defend against you?"

Sehwag knew best how to get underneath the skin of the opposition even while getting involved in friendly banter with one of his old time friends.