Virender Sehwag: Career Profile of India’s Fearless Opener

Early life and rise

Virender Sehwag was born in Delhi in 1978 and played domestic cricket for the city. He made his one-day international debut in 1999 and his Test debut the following year. Initially used in the middle order, he found his best role after being promoted to open the batting in Tests in 2001.

Playing style

Sehwag was famous for batting with a very simple approach: watch the ball and hit it. He favoured attacking strokes from the first delivery, with a strong off-side game, and he scored at a rate that was unusual for a Test opener. His off-spin bowling was an additional asset for India.

Career highlights

He played 104 Tests and scored 8,586 runs, and made 8,273 runs in 251 one-day internationals. In 2004 he made 309 against Pakistan in Multan, becoming the first Indian to score a Test triple century, and in 2008 he made 319 against South Africa in Chennai, off just 278 balls.

In December 2011 he scored 219 against West Indies in Indore, then the highest individual score in men’s one-day internationals, after Sachin Tendulkar became the first to reach a double century in the format. He was also part of India’s World Cup-winning squad in 2011, and he played in the IPL for Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab.

Legacy

Sehwag retired from international cricket in 2013 and has since worked as a commentator and analyst. His approach changed expectations of what a Test opener could do, since he regularly set the tempo of a match from the first session. Many later Indian openers have cited his fearlessness as an influence. All figures are career totals as of the end of 2024.

Frequently asked questions

How many triple centuries did Virender Sehwag score in Tests?

He scored two: 309 against Pakistan in Multan in 2004 and 319 against South Africa in Chennai in 2008.

What was Virender Sehwag’s highest ODI score?

His highest one-day international score was 219, made against West Indies in Indore in December 2011.

When did Virender Sehwag play for India?

He played international cricket from 1999 to 2013 and was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad.