Just like scores of Indian cricketers, former opening batter Virender Sehwag also had grown up watching the legendary Sachin Tendulkar bat for team India. It was during the 1992 World Cup when Tendulkar had played his first-ever World Cup, when Sehwag was smitten by the talent ‘Master Blaster’ possessed, and started idolizing him.
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However, when he finally had this ‘dream come true’ moment where he first had this opportunity to meet him in the year 2001, all he was handed was a simple handshake and lots of disappointment.
Emerging to be one of the most attacking batters during his playing days, there was no way Tendulkar was not going to take note of the talent that Sehwag possessed.
The duo gelled along so well in the years to come, that Tendulkar at one point was even fed up with his chit-chattering habit in the dressing room.
During a recent interview, Sehwag even went on to reveal how he had made a deal with his cricketing idol that he (Tendulkar) would get an important work of his done, if he manages to score his third Test triple century.
Sachin Tendulkar helped Virender Sehwag take a difficult decision during his first Test as captain
During an interaction with popular YouTuber Vikram Sathaye in his chat show What The Duck, Sehwag recollected how big a help Tendulkar was as a senior player in the side when it came to advising the youngsters or even help them take captaincy-related decisions.
Even when he was appointed the Indian Test team captain, despite having very little experience of captaincy in First-Class Cricket, it was the ‘Master Blaster’ who had come to his aid when he was involved in some tense moments.
Sehwag recollected how when Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh were bowling at tandem during the Test, he had no clue how to convince either of the two regarding the need for a bowling change. While he could not gather the courage to take Kumble out of the attack due to latter’s seniority, Harbhajan would ask him why he ain’t making the change in bowling from Kumble’s end!
Tendulkar comes to the rescue
Sehwag was forced to then have the assist of the man who was the senior of them all, and the former finally breathed a sigh of relief when Tendulkar successfully intervened.
“I couldn’t say anything to Anil bhai, when I went towards Sardar (Harbhajan Singh) he started yelling as to why I’m not asking Anil Kumble to leave the ball. So finally, I had to ask people like him (Tendulkar) to intervene,” remarked Sehwag.
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