Sehwag Reveals Close Call with Retirement After Dhoni’s Decision
Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag shared how being dropped by MS Dhoni during the 2008 tri-series in Australia nearly led him to retire from One Day Internationals (ODIs). Sehwag, a standout batsman in ODIs, scored over 8,000 runs with an impressive strike rate.
During the 2007-08 series, Sehwag struggled, managing only 81 runs in five matches, which led to his exclusion from the team. In a recent conversation, he expressed how this decision made him contemplate stepping away from ODIs altogether.
“In that series, I played the first three matches, and then MS Dhoni decided to drop me. After that, I didn’t get picked for a while. I thought if I wasn’t in the playing XI, maybe it was time to retire from ODIs,” Sehwag explained.
Sachin Tendulkar’s Advice Changed Everything
In his moment of doubt, Sehwag turned to cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar for guidance. Tendulkar urged him not to rush into retirement, sharing that he had faced a similar situation years earlier.
Sehwag recounted, “I told Tendulkar, ‘I am thinking of retiring from ODIs.’ He replied, ‘No, I went through a tough time in 1999-2000, and it eventually passed.’ He advised me to give it some time and play for a couple more series before making any decision.”
Following Tendulkar’s advice, Sehwag returned to the game and eventually had a successful run, playing a key role in India’s 2011 World Cup victory. He officially retired from all forms of cricket in October 2015.
Conclusion
Sehwag’s story is a reminder of how important guidance and patience can be in sports, showcasing how a moment of struggle can lead to eventual success.
