Virender Sehwag

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Lore & Background

Sehwag holds multiple records including the highest score made by an Indian in Test cricket (319 against South Africa at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai), which was also the fastest triple century in the history of international cricket (reached 300 off only 278 balls) as well as the fastest 250 by any batsman (in 207 balls against Sri Lanka on 3 December 2009 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai). Sehwag also holds the distinction of being one of four batsmen in the world to have ever surpassed 300 twice in Test cricket. Sehwag has the highest career strike rate in Test matches among batsmen with minimum 3000 Test runs. Sehwag's career strike rate in Test matches is 82.23. In March 2009, Sehwag smashed what was until then the fastest century ever scored by an Indian in ODI cricket, from 60 balls. On 8 December 2011, he hit his maiden double century in ODI cricket, against West Indies, becoming the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to reach the landmark. His score became the highest individual score in ODI cricket—219 off 149 balls which was later bettered by Rohit Sharma—264 off 173 balls on 13 November 2014. He is one of only two players in the world to score a double hundred in ODI and a triple hundred in Test Cricket, the other being Chris Gayle.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Sehwag's IPL tenure is defined by resilience and record-breaking aggression. After captaining the Delhi Daredevils for the first two seasons, he transferred leadership to Gautam Gambhir to concentrate on his batting. However, for the fourth edition of the league, the franchise made a singular exception: Sehwag was the only player retained, immediately reinstated as captain. This decision paid off in spectacular fashion during the fifth edition, where he etched his name in history by scoring five consecutive half-centuries, a feat unmatched by any other batsman in T20 cricket. His journey from a grain merchant's son in Najafgarh to an IPL icon was marked by constant evolution. He returned to form in 2008 after being dropped in 2007, leading to his reappointment as vice-captain for the national side. On the global stage, he became the first Indian and only player of any nationality to be honored as the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World twice consecutively (for performances in 2008 and 2009).

Reader's Guide

Sehwag was appointed as vice-captain of the Indian team under Rahul Dravid in October 2005 but due to poor form, he was later replaced by V. V. S. Laxman in December 2006 as Test vice-captain. In January 2007, Sehwag was dropped from the ODI team and later from the Test team as well. During his term as vice-captain, Sehwag led the team in place of injured Dravid in 2 ODIs and 1 Test. Following his return to form in 2008 and the retirement of Anil Kumble, Sehwag was reappointed as the vice-captain for both Tests and ODIs. By early 2009, Sehwag had reestablished himself as one of the best performing batsmen in ODI cricket. Sehwag retired from all forms of International cricket on 20 October 2015. Now, he is serving as the member of the Anti Doping Appeal Panel of the National Anti Doping Agency under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India.

Did You Know?

• Sehwag was born in the Jat family of a grain merchant and spent his childhood in a joint family with siblings, uncles, aunts and sixteen cousins.
• He earned the nickname 'Nawab of Najafgarh' after being born and raised in Najafgarh, a locality in South West Delhi.
• Sehwag made his debut for Delhi cricket team in first class cricket in the 1997–98 season.
• He was the captain of the Delhi Daredevils in the first two editions of IPL, and later retained as captain for the fourth and fifth editions.
• Sehwag was involved in controversy in November 2001 when he was given a one Test ban for 'excessive appealing' by ICC Match referee Mike Denness.

The Aggressive Architect of Modern Batting

Virender Sehwag redefined opening batting with unparalleled aggression, holding the record for the highest score by an Indian in Test cricket: 319 against South Africa at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This innings was the fastest triple century in international history, reaching 300 off just 278 balls. He is one of only four batsmen globally to surpass 300 twice in Test matches. His career strike rate of 82.23 remains the highest among batsmen with a minimum of 3,000 Test runs. In ODIs, he scored a century off 60 balls in March 2009 against New Zealand and later hit his maiden double century, scoring 219 off 149 balls against West Indies on December 8, 2011. This score was the highest individual ODI total until Rohit Sharma surpassed it with 264 in 2014. Sehwag is one of only two players to achieve both a Test triple century and an ODI double century.

Trophy Cabinet and Global Recognition

Sehwag was a pivotal member of India's most successful teams, winning the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 Cricket World Cup. During the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, he was the tournament's highest run-scorer with 271 runs, contributing to India's joint victory. His individual brilliance earned him the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World award for his 2008 performances, making him the first Indian to receive this honor. He subsequently became the first player of any nationality to retain the award for 2009. In recognition of his career achievements, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2023.

Leadership Trials and Captaincy Roles

Sehwag's leadership role began as vice-captain under Rahul Dravid in October 2005. He served as stand-in captain for two ODIs and one Test during Dravid's injury but was replaced by V.V.S. Laxman in December 2006 due to poor form, leading to his temporary exit from both ODI and Test squads in January 2007. Following a resurgence in 2008 and Anil Kumble's retirement, Sehwag was reappointed vice-captain for Tests and ODIs. He also captained the Delhi Daredevils in IPL seasons 1, 2, 4, and 5, and led the Delhi Ranji Team.

From Najafgarh to National Service

Born on October 20, 1978, into a Jat family of grain merchants, Sehwag was raised in Najafgarh, earning him the nickname 'Nawab of Najafgarh'. He is the third of four children, with sisters Manju and Anju, and brother Vinod. His father credited his cricket interest to a toy bat given at seven months old. After attending Arora Vidya School and later Jamia Milia Islamia for graduation, he retired from international cricket on October 20, 2015. He currently serves as a member of the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel of the National Anti-Doping Agency under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.