Virender Sehwag Record List: 15 incredible records You Should Know
One of the most destructing and aggressive batsman of the 21st century – Virender Sehwag – has finally called curtains on his international as well as Indian Premier League (IPL) career. The ‘final’ announcement came on his 37th birthday which was on October 20, 2015.
One day before the official announcement, news started doing the rounds that Sehwag had announced his retirement from international cricket. Almost immediately, fans and experts all over the world started showing their emotions on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. But in the next 20-30 minutes the bigger news came that Sehwag had denied his retirement announcement.
Everyone got a hint that he would announce his retirement soon. But unexpectedly, the final decision came just the next morning when everyone was talking about Sehwag’s 37th birthday. Just the way Sehwag is unpredictable when batting, he did the same when announcing retirement as well.
Now it is confirmed that Sehwag will not be seen playing for India at international level and also not in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
On this occasion, let’s list some of his incredible records and trivia that made Sehwag distinct from everyone else in the history of cricket.
1. Century in maiden first-class innings and also in maiden Test innings
Sehwag scored 118 runs in the first innings of his first-class career while batting at No. 7 for Delhi against Haryana on October 23, 1998 in the Ranji Trophy season of 1998/99. It was actually his second first-class match as he did not get to bat on his first-class debut.
He did the same when he batted for the first time in his Test career. He scored 105 on his Test debut against South Africa at Bloemfontein on the opening day of the Test which was November 3, 2001. He batted at No. 6 then. When he opened for the first time in his Test career, he scored 84.
Only two other players did this in the cricket history – Gundappa Viswanath (230 on first-class debut and 137 on Test debut) and Dirk Wellham (100 on first-class debut and 103 on Test debut).
2. Only Indian to score a triple century in Test matches
This is a record familiar to almost everyone. Sehwag became the first Indian to score a triple century in Test matches; he beat VVS Laxman’s record of 281 which was the highest individual score until the Nawab of Najafgarh made 309 against Pakistan at Multan in 2004.
3. First player to reach 300 with a six in Tests
Sehwag decided to complete India’s first triple century in a manner which no one else had done in the past 127 years of Test cricket history. He was batting on 295 and smashed a six off Saqlain Mushtaq to complete the 300. He was the first batsman to reach a 300 with a six.
However, surprisingly, he was emulated by Kumar Sangakkara in 2014. These are the only two batsmen to have done this so far in Tests.
It is to be noted that Sehwag had got out on 195 when he tried completing his maiden double century with a six which was against Australia at MCG just four innings before his 309. At that point of time, only six batsmen had reached a double century with a six.
When Sehwag failed to do the same, he went one step ahead and reached 300 with a six. Yes, he was incredible.
4. One of only four batsmen to score two triple centuries in Tests
In more than 70 years of Indian cricket history, no batsman had scored a triple century. But within four years Sehwag smashed two triple hundreds. After scoring his maiden 300 on March 29, 2004, against Pakistan, Sehwag scored another triple century on March 28, 2008, against South Africa at MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.
Before him, only two batsmen had scored multiple 300s – Donald Bradman (334 and 304) and Brian Lara (375 and 400*). Later Chris Gayle also scored his second triple century.
Wait, Sehwag also narrowly missed out on becoming the first batsman to score three triple centuries in Test matches. He was out on 293 against Sri Lanka at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on December 4, 2009. Also, Don Bradman was once not out on 299, missing his third 300.