Virender Sehwag felicitated by BCCI in Delhi

He scored 8,586 runs in Tests and 8,273 in ODIs in a career which began in 1999.

The BCCI has sent an official mail to the DDCA yesterday intimating them about the decision to commemorate the batsman but Sehwag’s home state association for 17 years chose to stay away from the celebrations as of now.

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur is expected to be present along with treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhary during the felicitation. Sehwag was joined at the ceremony by his family. He smashed the first-ever triple ton by an Indian on their tour of Pakistan in 2003-04, when he scored 309 at Multan. However, he continues to play in Ranji Trophy for Haryana. “A big thanks to Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar for molding my career”, he said.

In his brief farewell speech, Sehwag thanked everyone from BCCI to DDCA to his first coach AN Sharma and Satish Sharma, who first picked him for Delhi U-19s.

Reputed to take on the bowlers irrespective of the format of the game, Sehwag occupies top three spots in the list of highest individual Test scores by Indians, with two triple centuries and a 293. “Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid helped shape my career”, says Virender Sehwag.

Sehwag can be etched within the reminiscence of all cricket followers as one among trendy batting legends. When Sehwag was at the crease, it was sure that leisure was assured. Sehwag was in his elements once again when he slaughtered South Africa at Chennai in March 2008, cracking the fastest-ever triple century in Test cricket in terms of balls faced (278). Players from both India and South African teams were also present on the ground during the felicitation ceremony.

Whether India, or even the cricketing world, will see another batsman like Virender Sehwag is something that remains to be seen.