New Delhi: Former India opener Virender Sehwag has revealed that he came close to retiring from ODI cricket before the 2011 World Cup after being dropped by then-captain MS Dhoni. It was Sachin Tendulkar, however, who convinced him to reconsider and continue playing.
Recalling the 2007-08 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia, Sehwag said he played the first five completed matches but could only manage 81 runs at an average of 16.20, with a highest score of 33. Following the poor run, Dhoni dropped him for the last three games, as India went on to defeat Sri Lanka and Australia to win the tournament.
“I wasn’t picked for quite some time after that,” Sehwag recounted. “I felt if I couldn’t make the playing XI, there was no point in playing ODI cricket. I went to Tendulkar and told him I was thinking of retiring. He told me he had gone through a similar phase in 1999-2000 but it eventually passed. He advised me not to make emotional decisions and to give myself a couple of series before deciding.”
That advice proved pivotal. Sehwag returned six months later in the Kitply Cup, scoring 150 runs in three matches, including two fifties, and went on a consistent run of form. He eventually played in the 2011 World Cup, where India emerged champions. Sehwag retired with 8273 runs from 251 ODIs.
On the personal front, Sehwag also spoke about his 15-year-old son Aryavir, who is making his way up in Delhi cricket. “I’ve told him that pressure is something you give, not take. He’s working hard, and if he wants to pursue cricket, he’s free to play his way. Hopefully, he’ll go on to represent India or play Ranji Trophy someday,” Sehwag said.
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