Shocking! Virender Sehwag was about to retire before World Cup 2011 after MS Dhoni dropped him, Check how Sachin Tendulkar saved his career

Virender Sehwag was one of the best opening batters who played for India.

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag revealed how he was he was about to retire from the ODIs before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 after MS Dhoni dropped him. He also opened up about how Sachin Tendulkar forced him to change his decision. 

Virender Sehwag arguably is one of the fiercest openers to play for the Indian Cricket Team. The former opening slammed truckloads of runs for his team and only believed in destroying the bowling lineups with his aggressive approach at the top. 

Virender Sehwag, who is the only Indian batter with 200 in ODIs and 300 in tests, played a key role for India with the bat in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Opening the innings, he provided his team with brutal starts in almost every game, helping India win the tournament. 

However, this couldn’t have been possible if Sachin Tendulkar had not played the part. Sehwag revealed that after he was dropped from the team in 2007-08. He also pointed out how the thought of not playing again in ODIs forced him to retire. 

I felt that if I can’t be a part of the playing XI – Virender Sehwag

After he told Sachin Tendulkar about the same, the batting great told him to reverse his decision, sharing his experience. Speaking in an interview with a YouTube channel, he said: 

“In the 2007-08 series in Australia, I played the first three (five) matches and then MS Dhoni dropped me from the side. I wasn’t picked for a while after that. Then I felt that if I can’t be a part of the playing XI, then there was no point in my playing ODI cricket.” 

“Then I went to Tendulkar and said, ‘I am thinking of retiring from ODIs’. He said, ‘No, I went through a similar phase in 1999-2000, where I felt I should leave cricket. But that phase came and went. So, you are going through a trough, but it will pass.” 

Virender Sehwag added that Sachin Tendulkar told him not to make any decision after being emotional. He told him to give himself time. While narrating about the same, he said: 

“Don’t make any decision when you are emotional. Give yourself some time and 1-2 series, and then take a call.’ When that series ended, I played in the next series and made a lot of runs. I played the 2011 World Cup and we won the World Cup as well”. 

Virender Sehwag was dropped in the middle of the 2007-2008 Commonwealth Bank Series. He played the first five games and managed just 81 runs at an average of 16.20 with a best score of 33. But after that, he made a strong comeback in the Kitply Cup, where he scored 150 runs in three matches, including two fifties.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.