Virender Sehwag, the former Indian cricketing sensation, celebrated his 45th birthday last Friday. Wishes began flooding in from all corners of the world, with one particularly unique message coming from his former batting partner and cricket legend, Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin humorously wished Sehwag a day filled with monotony for his birthday.
Sehwag’s cricketing journey saw him accumulate a remarkable 8,586 runs from 104 Test matches, boasting an average of 49.3. He further added to his cricketing legacy by scoring 8,273 runs from 251 One Day Internationals (ODIs). In addition, he made appearances in 19 T20Is for the Indian cricket team, amassing 394 runs.
What set Sehwag apart was his unwavering pursuit of boundaries and his exceptional ability to find them. With minimal footwork but an unwavering determination, he scored Test runs at a pace unparalleled in the history of cricket. Despite bowlers having confidence in their ability to dismiss a batsman who played such a wide array of strokes, Sehwag was consistently confident in his capacity to outshine them.
At the climax of his career, the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ was a formidable presence on the field with his powerful cuts and explosive drives. His passion and aggressive approach to scoring runs solidified his legendary status.
Over the course of his career, Sehwag accumulated more than 16,000 runs for the Indian cricket team across all formats, etching his name firmly in the legendary list of Indian cricket.
Tendulkar’s birthday wish for Sehwag was an affectionate taunt, reflecting on Sehwag’s tendency to do the opposite of what he’s advised, playing aggressive cricket when asked not to.
Sachin humorously shared an anecdote, “When I once told him to go slow and stay on the crease, he said, “ok” and then smashed the very next ball for four. Happy birthday to the man who likes to do exactly the opposite of what I say. So, I am going to say, please have a boring birthday, Viru.” Sachin conveyed this message on his social media platform, formerly known as Twitter.
When I once told him to go slow and stay on the crease, he said, “ok” and then smashed the very next ball for four. Happy birthday to the man who likes to do exactly the opposite of what I say.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 20, 2023
So, I am going to say, please have a boring birthday, Viru. 🙃 pic.twitter.com/i45fSXvvtV
