Virender Sehwag promises his sons a Ferrari, if they beat his record
Virender Sehwag has promised his kids a Ferrari, if they beat his highest score of 319, in any form of cricket, reports The Indian Express. The former India opener spoke to Harsha Bhogle after he was felicitated, ahead of the fourth India-South Africa Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla.
Sehwag, who took his excited kids to meet some of the players, revealed that he has made them a promise.
“Yes, my kids know I have made some humongous scores in Test cricket. So I have told them, if you cross that 319-run mark even in school cricket, I will present you a Ferrari,“ he said.
Sehwag, who always played with a smile on his face and even hummed songs while batting, admitted that he wasn’t all play and no work. “Actually I was better prepared. I used to prepare in advance on how the bowler is going to bowl, whether is he going to bowl an outswinger or an inswinger? I used to watch the videos of the bowler, and used to prepare in advance.”
The former Delhi batsman, who is India’s fifth-highest run-getter in Tests, had two ends at the Feroz Shah Kotla named after him – “Viru 319 End” and “Viru 309 End”. But when asked about his lasting memory from the game, the two triple-hundreds wasn’t the one he cherished the most.
“My hundred on debut,”he said. “Because people used to say my batting style suits ODIs and I used to think that I have scored runs in four-day Ranji Trophy games so I must get an opportunity to play Test cricket for India. So when I got the opportunity, I scored a hundred. That memory will stay with me forever.”
He also admitted that you needed a little bit of luck, when you score triple hundreds.”No, you need to be lucky to get those scores. When I scored 309, Pakistan dropped some of my catches, the same thing happened during my innings of 319 against South Africa. There were many talented cricketers but they didn’t have long India careers.”
Despite having a Test career (8586 runs from 104 Tests at an average of just under 50 and two triple tons) that many can only dream of, Sehwag admitted that he has regrets someting from his playing career.
“I thought I could have breached Brian Lara’s 400 runs. When I scored 319, I was unbeaten at 309 but then got out. So I think I could have reached that mark but unfortunately I missed it.”
The 37-year-old was also thankful for all of his fans. ”I want to thank all of them who came to watch me, who backed me in by bad times. May be some time i have got out early and not able to entertain you but I hope you keep on cheering for Team India the way you guys have cheered for me.“