Virender Sehwag Archives

Virender Sehwag backs Suryakumar Yadav as key to India’s Asia Cup success

Former India opener Virender Sehwag has thrown his weight behind Suryakumar Yadav, endorsing the dynamic batter’s leadership as the Men in Blue gear up for the ACC Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE.

Sehwag, speaking to Indian media, said he was confident in the squad’s chances, highlighting the balance of youth and experience that makes India a strong contender for the title.

“This Indian team has the right mix of youth and experience, and under Surya’s fearless leadership, they can dominate Asia once again,” Sehwag remarked.

Virender Sehwag stressed that Yadav’s aggressive, fearless approach is tailor-made for the demands of modern T20 cricket.

“His attacking mindset suits the T20I format perfectly, and if the team plays with the same intent, I have no doubt India can lift the trophy,” he added.

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The Asia Cup 2025 will begin on September 9 with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong in the opening fixture.

India are placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, hosts UAE, and Oman.

They open their campaign against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai, before locking horns with Pakistan on September 14 in one of the tournament’s most-anticipated clashes.

Their final group stage match against Oman is scheduled for September 19 in Abu Dhabi.

India’s squad for Asia Cup 2025: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson.

Reserves: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

READ: Babar Azam resumes training in Lahore after returning home

Virender Sehwag criticizes Ishan Kishan’s ‘Brain Fade’ moment

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has strongly criticized Ishan Kishan for leaving the crease despite being given not out during the match between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

The incident occurred during the third over of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s innings, when Ishan Kishan attempted to play a delivery on the leg side but failed to make contact with the ball.

Mumbai Indians’ wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton collected the ball cleanly, but none of the players made an appeal for a catch. However, Ishan walked away from the field.

Virender Sehwag referred to the incident as a brain fade moment, stating that Ishan should have paused for the umpire’s decision.

“Many times, the mind fails to work at that moment. It was a brain fade. At least stop and wait for the umpire to make his decision. He is also being paid for his job,” Sehwag said.

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Virender Sehwag criticized Ishan for demonstrating honesty despite the umpire’s unclear decision.

“I don’t understand this kind of honesty. If there had been an edge, it would’ve been in the spirit of the game. But there wasn’t even a clear decision from the umpire, and he just walked away,” he added.

The incident soon raised eyebrows with many questioning the umpiring standards in the IPL.

Meanwhile, SRH were bundled out for a modest score of 142, thanks to a dominant bowling performance from MI bowlers.

Mumbai Indians reached the target comfortably in 15.4 overs, losing just three wickets in the process. Rohit Sharma led the charge with a blistering 70 off 46 balls, laced with eight fours and three sixes.

The loss marked Sunrisers Hyderabad’s sixth defeat in the IPL, leaving them at the bottom of the table.

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed opens up about his new role with Quetta Gladiators

Inzamam-ul-Haq responds to comments of Virender Sehwag

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has graciously responded to former India’s Virender Sehwag’s recent praise, saying that compliments from a former on-field rival carry “special significance.”

In an exclusive conversation with Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Peshawar Zalmi, Inzamam shared his thoughts on Sehwag’s remarks.

For the unversed, Sehwag, during a recent interview, urged young cricketers to study Inzamam’s calm and calculated approach to chasing targets under pressure.

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“I’m genuinely humbled by Sehwag’s words,” he said. “Having shared so many fierce on-field battles, receiving such praise from a competitor of his stature holds special significance.”

Inzamam agreed with Sehwag’s observation, noting that successful chasing isn’t just about technical skills; temperament is the real game-changer.

“Virender Sehwag correctly identified that successful chasing is not merely about technique, it’s fundamentally about temperament,” Inzamam-ul-Haq explained.

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“My approach always revolved around quickly reading match conditions, identifying favourable bowling match-ups, and crucially, maintaining unwavering self-belief until the final ball.”

The former middle-order maestro, known for his calmness under pressure and match-winning knocks, also shed light on the modern-day challenges of T20 cricket, calling it more of a mental battle than a power-hitting contest.

“T20 is a mental game now,” he stated. “You have to be smart. Chasing runs is not about hitting every ball for a six. It’s about choosing the right time to attack.”

READ: Hammad Azam fined 100% match fee for misconduct in the President’s Trophy Grade-II

Shoaib Akhtar takes a dig at Virender Sehwag over bragging about 300-run knock

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar took a jab at Indian batter Virender Sehwag for consistently bringing up his triple-century against Pakistan in 2004.

The feud began when Sehwag shared a video clip of a commercial on Instagram and referenced his triple century in the post caption.

In the Instagram post, the former India opener wrote: “Ek triple centurion ke handle se @fwd ka ad post ho raha hai.”

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Responding to the post, Akhtar jokingly offered to help Sehwag get an entry in the Guinness World Records for saying “300” the most times in the world.

Sehwag’s iconic 309-run knock against Pakistan in the first Test of the 2004 series in Multan has been a topic of discussion for years. However, Akhtar’s comments suggest that he is tired of hearing Sehwag brag about the achievement.

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Shoaib Akhtar expressed his frustration with hearing discussions about this century for years, noting that he is fasting and controlling his speech.

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“I saw a video of Viru Paaji. Man, I am fed up of hearing him talk. It is the same tape he has been playing for the last 20 years – ‘300, 300, 300’, said Akhtar in an Instagram video.

“Come on, brother, I was there too when you scored that 300. You played really well, no doubt. But it is the month of fasting, and one has to control their tongue – so please, stop now, ” he stated.

The pacer stated that if Sehwag wishes to register his name with Guinness World Records, he can do so.

“If you want an entry in the Guinness World Records, I can get that done. The person who says 300 the most in the world – Virender Sehwag!”, he concluded.

READ: Shakib Al Hasan breaks silence on ODI omission after bowling action ban

Virender Sehwag urges Babar Azam to ‘play domestic cricket’ to regain form

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has offered some advice to Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam, suggesting him to play domestic cricket in order to rediscover his top form.

Babar has been under tight scrutiny due to his below-par performances recently. He crashed out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings last month after a forgettable home Test series against Bangladesh, where he managed a meagre 64 runs in four innings.

Meanwhile, in the first Test against England, he scored 35 runs in two innings after which he was dropped from the squad for the remainder of the series.

In Babar’s absence, the Shan Masood-led team defeated England by 152 runs to level the three-match series and claim their first Test victory at home since February 2021.

Virender Sehwag, during an appearance on former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar’s YouTube channel, opened up on Babar Azam’s recent struggles and advised him to regain his form by playing domestic cricket.

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“Babar Azam should play domestic cricket now. He should work on his fitness, he should spend some time with family, then come back to international cricket as a physically fitter and mentally stronger player,” said Sehwag.

The former Indian all-rounder expressed the view that Babar’s mental state has been influenced by the expectations of fans and his role as captain, which in turn has had an impact on his individual performance.

“With expectations from Babar decreasing and his resignation from captaincy, it seems he has been more impacted mentally than in terms of technique,” he added.

Sehwag also conveyed his belief in Babar’s exceptional talent and expressed optimism that Babar would be able to make a strong comeback as long as he remains mentally resilient.

“He needs to stay mentally strong. He’s a talented player, and players like him tend to bounce back quickly,” he concluded.

READ: Babar Azam’s father addresses fans amid his son’s recent struggles

Former India cricketer accuses selector Wahab Riaz of ‘favouritism’

Legendary Indian opener Virender Sehwag heavily criticised Pakistan men’s team’s selector Wahab Riaz and accused him of favouritism.

Sehwag’s accusation of Wahab came in the wake of Mohammad Amir’s return to international cricket which eventually saw him representing the national team yet another T20 World Cup.

However, Amir’s comeback did not bring fortune to the Green Shirts as they suffered a group-stage exit for the first time.

Meanwhile, Virender Sehwag was irked by the fact that both Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir, who previously criticised the team on national television, are now part of the setup.

“Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir, these are two names who criticised the Pakistan team on the same TV channel, giving their comments…Today, one of them is a selector [Riaz] and one is in the playing eleven [Amir],” Sehwag said.

“So the same persons who were criticising, if today they have power, became the selector, what have they done first up? ‘Mohammad Amir was with me, let’s select him’. It’s like if Ajit Agarkar is chairman (of BCCI selection committee) today, he will say ‘come Viru, come Zak (Zaheer Khan)’, I will facilitate your comeback,” Sehwag added.

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Virender Sehwag then advised Pakistan selectors to focus on the team’s future and also to avoid favouritism.

“You have become a selector, you have to look at the future. You have a job, make the right use of it, don’t do favours. That hard step selectors will have to take,” he concluded.

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan, the former champions, were knocked out of the group stage of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 as a result of gut-wrenching defeats against the co-host United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India.

The back-to-back defeats put Pakistan on the verge of an early exit and they then needed the USA to lose their remaining matches.

However, the abandonment of a crucial Group A fixture between USA and Ireland marked the end of Pakistan’s journey in T20 World Cup 2024 despite their triumphs over Canada and Ireland.

READ: Brandon King doubtful for T20 World Cup 2024 remainder

Virender Sehwag, Aravinda de Silva, Diana Edulji go into ICC Hall of Fame

India’s Virender Sehwag, Sri Lankan batsman Aravinda de Silva and pioneering Indian women’s captain Diana Edulji have been inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame, the game’s governing body announced Monday.

They will be honoured at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai during the World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand on Wednesday.

The International Cricket Council has recognised 109 players in the ICC Cricket Hall Of Fame since its launch in 2009.

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De Silva, 58, enjoyed a 19-year international career for Sri Lanka, playing a starring role in their memorable World Cup triumph in 1996.

In 93 Tests, he scored 6,361 runs at an average of 42.97 and collected 9,284 runs from 308 ODIs while taking 106 wickets.

De Silva made his Test debut at Lord’s in 1984, and a year later scored 75 as Sri Lanka recorded its first-ever Test win against India.

In 1991, he struck a then-national record individual score of 267 against New Zealand at Wellington.

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Virender Sehwag, 45, played a key part in India’s World Cup winning campaign at home in 2011, and scored over 17,000 runs in international cricket during a stellar 14-year career.

He transformed the opener’s role in Test cricket through his trademark explosive approach to batting.

Edulji, who became the first Indian woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, played a pioneering role in establishing the most successful domestic team in Indian women’s cricket history.

A right-handed batter and slow left-arm bowler, Edulji took 109 wickets in Test and ODIs.

When she retired after the World Cup in 1993, she had taken more wickets in international cricket than anyone except Australia’s Lyn Fullston.

“These three figures have revolutionised the sport in their own way, and have provided fans with some of the most unforgettable moments in recent memory,” ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said in a statement.

“Their lasting contributions to cricket mean they are richly deserving of their status in the ICC Hall of Fame.”

READ: 2009 T20 World Cup-winning team to celebrate historic victory in US

Virender Sehwag wants ‘Afghanistan to upset Pakistan’

Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag, known for making controversial statements, baffled fans with his remarks on the Pakistan team’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign.

Virender Sehwag, in an interview with a cricketing website, said the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 would be exciting if there were upsets in it. He pinned hopes on Afghanistan defeating Pakistan in the tournament on October 23rd in Chennai.

“There should be something that shakes up the expectations, but I don’t want India to face any upset,” he said.

“If there has to be an upset, it should be like Afghanistan defeating Pakistan, or New Zealand defeating Australia, or South Africa defeating England. That’s when it will be exciting to watch this World Cup.”

Moreover, Virender Sehwag hoped India would continue its perfect record against Pakistan in the 50-over world championships on October 14th in Ahmedabad.

“India’s record against Pakistan is quite remarkable, especially in the ODI World Cup. Until now, we haven’t lost a single match against them, and I really hope this record continues. Pakistan’s team is quite strong, but we have outperformed them in the Asia Cup.

“I would love for this record to remain intact, especially when the team steps onto the field in Ahmedabad to play against Pakistan. I expect that 100,000 people will come to the ground to watch the match, and that in itself will create pressure.”

Virender Sehwag is one of India’s most decorated cricketers. He represented 374 international fixtures across all three formats (Test, ODI and T20I) in which he amassed 17,253 runs and took 136 wickets.

He was part of the side that won the ICC World T20 2007, and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

READ: England restrict Bangladesh on 188/9 in rain-hit warm-up fixture

‘We found so much love,’ Virender Sehwag lauds Pakistan’s hospitality

Legendary Indian opening batter Virender Sehwag recalled his tour to Pakistan back in 2003-04 and the hospitality he received from the locals.

India visited Pakistan in 2003 for a full-fledge ODI and Test tour amid which the two arch-rivals locked horns in a five-match white-ball and a three-match red-ball series.

The touring side dominated Pakistan in both formats as they sealed the ODI series 3-2 and Test series 2-1.

Virender Sehwag, who was also a part of the Indian contingent, recalled his side’s successful tour of Pakistan for the hospitality, he received during his time in the country during an interview on a YouTube channel

“When we toured Pakistan back in 2003-04, we found so much love from the Pakistani people,” he shared.

“Before the second Test in Lahore, we went for shopping. I bought some 30-35 Pakistani suits for my family at a local market. The shopkeeper refused to take money from me, saying I am the guest, and how he can take money from a guest. We received such love everywhere in Pakistan,” added Virender Sehwag.

During the same interview, Virender Sehwag also heaped praise on former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and termed him Asia’s best middle-order batter.

“Inzi Bhai was so sweet. Everyone talks about Tendulkar but I believe that Inzamam was the biggest middle-order batter in Asia,” he stated.

Virender Sehwag continued to laud Inzamam-ul-Haq by mentioning his ability to remain composed in tense run chases where his team needed around eight runs per over.

“Tendulkar was out of batters’ league, he was above it. But, Inzamam was best in middle-order. I am talking about 2003-04 when an average of around eight was just an imagination. Teams used to panic in such situations but Inzamam at that time used to stay calm while scoring runs at an average of around eight,” he added.

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Sehwag terms Inzamam-ul-Haq ‘Asia’s greatest middle-order batter’

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag spoke highly of legendary Pakistan batter Inzamam-ul-Haq and termed him Asia’s greatest middle-order batter.

Sehwag during an interview on a YouTube channel, said everyone heaps praise on Sachin Tendulkar’s greatness but Inzamam was on the other level.

“Inzi Bhai was so sweet. Everyone talks about Tendulkar but I believe that Inzamam was the biggest middle-order batter in Asia,” he stated.

Virender Sehwag continued to laud Inzamam-ul-Haq by mentioning his ability to remain composed in tense run chases where his team needed around eight runs per over.

Besides his orthodox batting skills, Inzamam-ul-Haq, one of his exceptional strength was his match-finishing abilities and he showcased them on multiple occasions by steering his side to glory after a tricky run chase.

Inzamam-ul-Haq represented Pakistan in 120 Tests and scored 8,830 runs at a brilliant average of 49.60, with the help of 25 centuries and 46 half-centuries.

He also played 378 matches, scoring 11,739 runs at an average of 39.52. Inzamam-ul-Haq also has 10 centuries and 83 fifties to his name amid his decorated white-ball career.

His consistent performances in the formats propelled him to be considered one of the finest batters in Pakistan.

Furthermore, Inzamam-ul-Haq is also Pakistan’s all-time leading run-scorer, having accumulated 20,541 runs across formats over the course of his 16-year-long career.

The legendary batter also served as the chief selector of Pakistan men’s cricket team and amid his tenure, Pakistan lifted the Champions Trophy 2017 title under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy.

READ: David Warner hints at retirement after Pakistan Test