17 of the most remarkable quotes by Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag in his Delhi Daredevils days

10. On how he approaches a Test innings: “I have made it very simple for myself. There are 90 overs to be played in a day. If I am able to hit a boundary in 80 of these I can get to a triple hundred by the end of the day’s play and set a match up for my team.”

11. On hitting sixes while approaching landmarks: “Sachin Tendulkar always likes to chat and can get serious and caution you not to hit unnecessary shots. During that (Multan) innings he told me, ‘If you try to hit a six I will hit you on the bum.’ He gave me a simple example – about my Melbourne innings in 2003, when I tried to hit a six on 195 and got out. Till then India were in a good position, but after that we couldn’t make a big score and we lost the Test. So he made me realise my mistake. That is why I didn’t hit sixes in Multan, but when I was near 300 I told him that I was going to hit Saqlain (Mushtaq) and he could hit me on my bum!”

12. On what bowlers needed to do to try and escape his wrath: “I don’t want to sound pompous. But I can surely tell you that once I get to 60 or 70 there’s no bowler in the world who can get Virender Sehwag out. Only Virender Sehwag can get Sehwag out at moments when I am batting the way I am currently. My philosophy has always been to make the most of the situation when you are in form. So when I go out there, I identify a bowler and get after him. If he is the best bowler in the opposition, your job becomes much easier.”

13. On his love of playing spin: “Once Gary Kirsten asked me, ‘What would you do if there is a long-off, long-on and deep midwicket?’ I asked, ‘Gary sir, do fielders matter to me?’ He burst out laughing… Let me give an example: I was batting on 291 at Chepauk, against South Africa. I told Paul Harris, ‘Come round the wicket and first ball I’ll hit you for a six.’ He accepted my challenge and the very first ball I hit him for a straight six, and there was a long-off, long-on, deep midwicket and a deep point. I was so tired and he was bowling on the pads and I was getting bored. So rather than spending 10-15 minutes to get to the triple-century I gave him good advice.”

14. On Sachin's 200 in ODIs: “I will pay anything, even go to the theatre, to watch the innings 100 times. I have already reserved a CD to watch it any time I want.”

15. After getting out for 293: “Not many people have got two triple centuries and followed that with 293. So there is nothing to be disappointed about.”

16. “Beta beta hota hai, aur baap baap hota hai!” – Sehwag sledging Shoaib Akhtar, after the latter was hooked for a six by Sachin Tendulkar.

17. To Pakistan close-in fielders after Shoaib Akhtar continuously asked Sehwag to hook, bowling bouncers at him from around the wicket: “Yeh bowling kar raha hai ya bheekh maang raha hai? [Is he bowling or begging?]”