Former India opener Virender Sehwag has shared a surprising chapter from his career. There was a time when he was almost ready to walk away from one-day cricket.
Speaking on sports commentator Padamjeet Sehrawat’s YouTube channel, the 46-year-old recalled that during the 2007-08 tri-series in Australia, he was left out of the XI by then-captain MS Dhoni after the first three matches.
Let's see what Sehwag had to say.
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There was no point in my playing ODI cricket: Virender Sehwag
Sehwag's form had been modest in 2007-08 tri-series, scoring just 81 runs in five matches and Robin Uthappa had been chosen to open with Sachin Tendulkar in his place.
At that point, Sehwag says he felt there was little purpose in continuing in the format if he was not part of the playing side.
"In the 2007-08 series against Australia, I played the first three 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," said Sehwag.
How did Sachin Tendulkar convince Virender Sehwag to stay?
Feeling uncertain about his future, Sehwag approached Sachin Tendulkar with the idea of retiring from ODIs.
Tendulkar, who himself had gone through a similar phase between 1999 and 2000, advised him not to make a decision in frustration.
"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,'" said Sehwag.
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According to Sehwag, Tendulkar told him that tough phases come and go, and that he should give himself one or two more series before deciding.
"Don't make any decision when you are emotional. Give yourself some time and 1-2 series, and then take a call," Sehwag added.
Not only did Sehwag return to form in the following series, but he also became a key part of India’s ODI setup again.
"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," he added.
The decision to hold back on retirement eventually led to Sehwag playing a major role in India’s historic 2011 World Cup victory on home soil.