Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag revealed that it was Sourav Ganguly who inspired him to bat as an opener. The Delhi cricketer revealed in his column for The Indian Express that BCCI President Ganguly urged him to bat up the order as the place was vacant. In his column, Sehwag mentioned that then captain Ganguly explained to him that the opening slot was vacant and if he takes it, his inclusion in the side will be guaranteed. But if he was against the idea and wanted to stick to the middle-order position, he would have to wait for someone to get injured. Sehwag also revealed that his reaction to the offer was, “Why aren’t you opening, even you open, even Sachin opens? India vs Bangladesh 2019: Virender Sehwag Adds Twist to IND vs BAN Cricket Rivalry With New Campaign (Watch Video).
The former Indian skipper also told Sehwag that he will give him four innings as an opener. Even if he fails, he can continue to play. And before he gets dropped, Ganguly will again give him a chance in the middle-order, Sehwag revealed. Sehwag further wrote that this clarity made him trust his captain Ganguly. The assurance also gave him a lot of confidence. Sourav Ganguly Appointed BCCI President, 'Great Signs for Indian Cricket', Says Virender Sehwag.
Sehwag also mentioned that with Dada’s backing, he tried batting as an opener. “Whatever I am today, it is because of him,” Sehwag added in his column. Sehwag, who played for India from 1999 to 2013, is widely remembered for his explosive batting as an opener. He played 104 Tests and 251 ODIs, smashing 8586 and 8273 runs in both the formats. Currently, Sehwag is an active commentator and is widely appreciated for his witty and humorous style of talking.