Virender Sehwag (born 20 October 1978) is a former Indian cricketer and one of the most destructive opening batters the game has seen. He was the first Indian to score a triple century in Tests, with 309 at Multan in 2004, and he made another, 319, in 2008. He scored more than 8,000 runs in both Tests and ODIs at an exceptional scoring rate and was a member of the teams that won the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 World Cup. Fans called him “Viru” and the “Nawab of Najafgarh”.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Virender Sehwag |
| Born | 20 October 1978, Delhi, India |
| Age | 48 |
| Role | Opening batter (right-handed), part-time off spinner |
| International career | 1999–2013 |
| Test record | 8,586 runs in 104 matches, 23 centuries |
| ODI record | 8,273 runs in 251 matches, 15 centuries |
| Domestic teams | Delhi, Haryana |
| Spouse | Aarti Ahlawat (m. 2004) |
| Children | 2 (Aryavir and Vedant) |
| Honours | Arjuna Award (2002), Padma Shri (2010) |
Early Life
Sehwag grew up in Najafgarh on the western edge of Delhi, in a large joint family; his father was a grain merchant. He was mad about cricket from childhood and travelled long distances by bus to practise. He made his first-class debut for Delhi in 1997–98.
Career
Sehwag made his ODI debut against Pakistan in 1999 as a middle-order batter who bowled off spin. On his Test debut, at Bloemfontein in November 2001, he scored 105 against South Africa batting at number six. Captain Sourav Ganguly then asked him to open the innings in England in 2002, a move that changed his career.
In March 2004 at Multan he scored 309 against Pakistan, reaching his triple hundred with a six, and became the first Indian to pass 300 in a Test. In March 2008 he made 319 against South Africa in Chennai, reaching 300 off 278 balls, the fastest triple century in Test history. Later that year he carried his bat for 201 at Galle. He narrowly missed a third triple century when he was out for 293 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 2009.
Sehwag was part of India’s winning teams at the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 World Cup, where he began several matches by hitting the first ball for four. In December 2011 he scored 219 against West Indies at Indore, then the highest score in ODIs. He played his last Test in 2013 and announced his retirement from all cricket on his birthday in October 2015.
After Cricket
Sehwag is a commentator and a popular, humorous voice on social media. He founded the Sehwag International School in Jhajjar, Haryana, and has worked as a team mentor in the IPL.
Personal Life
Sehwag married Aarti Ahlawat in 2004, and they have two sons, Aryavir and Vedant, both of whom play cricket.
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Virender Sehwag born?
Virender Sehwag was born on 20 October 1978 in Delhi, India and is 48 years old.
What is Virender Sehwag’s role?
Role: Opening batter (right-handed), part-time off spinner.
What honours has Virender Sehwag received?
Arjuna Award (2002), Padma Shri (2010).
Featured image: Virender Sehwag receives the Padma Shri from President Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, 31 March 2010. Photo by President’s Secretariat, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
