Happy Birthday Virender Sehwag: Watch top innings of India’s most destructive opener – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Virender Sehwag is unquestionably one of the most dreaded openers in cricket the world has ever witnessed. The aggressive right-handed batter was nothing less than the opponent bowlers’ worst nightmare throughout his playing days. His unorthodox attitude at the crease and capability to hit massive strokes regardless of the format from the very first ball of the game took Indian cricket to new heights.

During his 12 years illustrated career, the former Indian opener featured in  104 Tests and 251 ODIs and recorded 8,586 and 8,273 runs respectively, including as many as 38 centuries and 6 double centuries in the game. 

Sehwag is celebrating his 44th birthday today. On this special occasion, let’s take a look at his best knocks in the Indian outfit:

309 runs vs Pakistan in 2004:

Sehwag’s first triple-century in a Test match against Pakistan in Multan in 2004 was the innings that best defined the type of batsman he was. India, who batted first, reached 356 on Day 1 with Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar both remaining unbeaten at 228 and 60 respectively. Sehwag was batting on 295 on Day 2 when he whacked a six off Saqlain Mushtaq to register his first triple hundred. His innings concluded at 309 runs off 375 deliveries, including 39 boundaries and 6 maximums. 

319 runs vs South Africa in 2008:

At the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Sehwag achieved his second Test triple century against South Africa in 2008. The Proteas posted 540 runs while batting first. While India were in a difficult situation, the explosive opener destroyed the deadly South African bowling attack, which included Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, and Morne Morkel. His 319-run innings took 304 deliveries, making it the fastest triple century in Test cricket history (His 300 came up in just 278 balls). 

219 runs vs West Indies in 2011: 

In 2011, Sehwag scored a double hundred in an ODI match against the West Indies at Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium, becoming just the second batter in ODI history after Tendulkar to achieve this feat. In just 149 deliveries against the Islanders, he went on to slam 219 runs, including 25 fours and 7 sixes. India reached a massive total of 418 for 5 thanks to Sehwag, who scored his first 50 off 41 balls, his 100 off 69 balls, and his 150 off 112 balls.

293 runs vs Sri Lanka in 2009: 

In a Test match from 2009, Sri Lanka posted a respectable score of 393 in the first innings. Sehwag rose to the occasion and played a magnificent innings of 293 runs. 284 of those runs came in a single day, which is the most runs an Indian has ever scored in a single day in a Test match. The devastating knock was laced with 40 fours and 7 sixes.

201* and 50 runs vs Sri Lanka in 2008: 

The spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis posed a strong challenge for the Indian batters while they were on a tour to Sri Lanka in 2008. In the second match of the series, the Indian batting unit collapsed like a pack of cards in the first innings. However, Sehwag held his nerve and played a crucial knock of unbeaten 201 in the Test match, leading his team to a decent score of 329 in the first innings. India clinched victory by 170 runs thanks to that outstanding performance.