The Unconventional Virender Sehwag
Whistle in Tune:
During the 2011 World cup, Sehwag decided to hit boundary on the first ball he faced. Sachin advised him that it was not necessary to hit a boundary on the first ball but once Sehwag made his mind, it was impossible to convince him. India was playing against South Africa at Nagpur. Sachin and Sehwag had a steady opening stand and everything was according to the plan. However, during the over breaks, Sachin couldn’t discuss any tactics with Sehwag. He was continuously whistling, singing songs and nodding his head. After a couple of overs, Sachin was really irritated and told Sehwag that he was going to punch him if he didn’t listen. As the situation heated up, Sehwag told Sachin “Paji(brother), my mind is all over and to control it, I am singing the song and diverting it away from distraction”. Sachin was spellbound.
Embed from Getty ImagesChappell the Villain:
Sehwag had great hand and eye coordination but his foot movement was limited. Greg Chappell wanted to change his technique and forced him to play the shot with proper footwork. Sehwag tried but it didn’t work. He wanted to switch back to his normal game, but coach Chappell didn’t approve it. Sehwag ignored Chappell’s advice and scored a century against West Indies the next day. Chappell never bothered him again.
Breakfast Bonanza:
Sehwag used to pick up Ashish Nehra for morning training at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground during the early days. Invariably Nehra was late and never had time for breakfast. Sehwag ate his breakfast and then they used to travel to ground on a scooter.
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Featured Image Credit: pulkitsinha – CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized as per the need)