FORMER India opener Virender Sehwag has announced his retirement from international cricket and the Indian Premier League on his 37th birthday. Sehwag, who won the World Cup with India in 2011, played 104 Tests, 251 one-day and 19 Twenty20 internationals.
He scored 8 586 Test runs at an average of 49.34 and is the only Indian to score an international triple century. He also scored 8 273 ODI runs at 35.05.
“Cricket has been my life,” Sehwag said in a statement. “I did it my way.”
He will to continue to play first-class cricket, saying he “still has the hunger inside”, and will try to help young players coming through.
Sehwag, who had a spell with Leicestershire in 2003, has not played for India since 2013.
MS Dhoni, who captained India to victory in 2011, led the tributes to his former team-mate as he compared Sehwag to West Indies batting legend Sir Viv Richards.
“Didn’t see Viv Richards bat in person but I can proudly say I have witnessed Virender Sehwag tearing apart the best bowling attacks,” Dhoni wrote on Twitter.
Sachin Tendulkar, who retired in 2013, added, Sehwag had been a joy to watch and play with.
Tendulkar said he “had the best seat during most of his superlative performances on the field” and “loved his instinctive approach to batting and life”. (BBC Sport)