Journalism of Courage
Virender Sehwag made his ODI and Test debut for India in 1999 and 2001 respectively. He went to play the game at the highest level for 14 years before being dropped for indifferent form.
During his career, Virender Sehwag ticked plenty of boxes and smashed records after records. Seen here: Sehwag receives the Padma Shri award from then President Pratibha Patil. (Source: Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
Virender Sehwag's approach was simple - see the ball, hit the ball. With the simple approach, he went on to play 251 ODis for India, and also became the, then 2nd, now 3rd, man on the planet to hit a double ton in the 50-overs format.
Virender Sehwag smashed 219 against West Indies in the five-match series with the Caribbean nation in 2011.
It was the longer format where Virender Sehwag changed the way batting was done at the top of the order. There were no half-measures in his approach. If it was there to be hit, he ensured to give it a whack. (Source: Express Photo by Ravi Kanojia)
Virender Sehwag was an entertainer with the willow in his hand. He dealt with the best in the business all at ease.
In the longer format, Virender Sehwag scored 8586 runs at a brilliant average of approximately 50 in the 104 Tests he played for the Indian cricket team. (Source: Express Photo by Ravi Kanojia)
In the domestic competitions, Virender Sehwag turned out for Delhi for close to two decades before moving to Haryana this year. (Source: Express Photo by Amit Mehra)
Virender Sehwag's international commitments didn't allow him to play often in the domestic competitions, but when he did he ensured to set Feroz Shah Kotla on fire. (Source: Express Photo by Navin Batra)
In Gautam Gambhir - his Delhi teammate - Sehwag found the perfect opener. Both went on to successfully open the innings for India across formats.
Before Gambhir arrived, Sachin Tendulkar and Sehwag formed one of the finest pairs in the shorter formats of the game. (Source: Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
And, when Sachin was pushed down the order, it was Sourav Ganguly who formed an equally entertaining pair with Sehwag.
Flashback: MS Dhoni, Ishant Sharma and Virender Sehwag enjoy the boat ride in Kerala.
MS Dhoni paid glowing tributes to retiring Sehwag on Tuesday, saying he was lucky to see him bat.
The selfies started early in the Indian dressing room. Sachin Tendulkar inventing ways to click pictures using his digicam. Zaheer Khan and Virender Sehwag look on. (Source: Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)
The lady luck! Sehwag snapped with wife Aarti. (Source: Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)
Another one! Virender Sehwag in a Chandigarh hotel with wife Aarti. (Source: Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)
It remains to be seen whether Sehwag's son Aryavir shows his interest in the game his father dominated.
As far as Sehwag is concerned, he has the Sehwag International school to spend his second innings at. (Source: Express Photo by Oinam Anand)
