Test cricket is the ultimate form of the game: Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag’s reverence for Test cricket is not surprising, for his exploits in the format are next to none. In the upcoming episode of Home of Heroes on Sports18, India’s most uncomplicated and destructive openers says Test cricket is here to stay.

In an international career spanning over a decade, Sehwag compiled 8586 runs in Tests averaging 49.34 at an astonishing strike rate of 82.23 and 8273 in ODIs at 35.05 with a strike rate of 104.33. “In my humble opinion, Test cricket is the ultimate cricket,” said Sehwag in an exclusive interaction with Sanjay Manjrekar on the newly launched channel Sports18’s flagship show ‘Home of Heroes’.

The former India batsman says if Rishabh Pant only played white-ball cricket, no one would remember him as much. “If he goes on to play 100+ Tests, his name would be etched in the history books forever. Only 11 Indian cricketers have achieved this feat, and everyone can recall those 11 names.

While shorter formats have been lucrative and offer instant gratification, Sehwag feels 99% of the players in the IPL would want to play Test cricket. “Why does Virat Kohli emphasise so much on playing Tests? He knows that if he plays 100-150 or even 200 Tests, he will be immortalised in the record books,” he added.

The Nawab of Najafgarh also spoke about his penchant for hitting boundaries on the first ball. “Many, including Tendulkar, told me that I planned to hit the first ball to the fence. But I never did,” admits Sehwag, who is second on the list of batters with most fours in an innings in Tests and third on the list in ODI’s. “I would be prepared to hit the first ball thinking it would more often be a loosener or a warm-up delivery.”

The second part of Sehwag’s interview on ‘Home of Heroes’ will be telecasted on Sports18 on May 27 (Friday) at 7:00 PM.