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Cricket PlayersI said ‘pick me only if I’ll play all matches, otherwise don't'. Then selectors talked to Dhoni: Sehwag on tough phase
Sehwag said he followed Tendulkar's advice, returned to India and gave it a long thought. That is when he also had a conversation with then chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth. Sehwag said Srikkanth had a word with Dhoni and he assured Sehwag will play all matches in the Asia Cup.
Former India opener Virender Sehwag narrated a fascinating story when he was asked about how Virat Kohli should react and deal with his loss of form and the host of criticism that has come his way lately. Sehwag revealed that he also went through a difficult phase mid-way through his international career when negativity had gripped his mind. The former opener said he had even decided to quit ODI cricket after being dropped from the playing XI by MS Dhoni during the Commonwealth Banka tri-series in Australia in 2008 but changed his mind after being 'stopped' by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Sehwag was dropped after he failed to score a single fifty in the first four matches of the tri-series in Australia which also involved Sri Lanka. Dhoni preferred to go with Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa in the top and middle-order with him and Yuvraj Singh taking care of the finishing duties.
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Sehwag said he followed Sachin Tendulkar's advice, returned to India and gave it a long thought. That is when he also had a conversation with former India opener and then chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth. Sehwag, India's first triple centurion in international cricket, said Srikkanth had a word with Dhoni and the legendary captain assured that he will play all matches in the Asia Cup that was slated next.
"...Time changed. Chairman of selection committee Kk Srikanth asked me 'what do you want to do?'. I said ‘there was no place for me in the side despite being in good touch so what else will I do’. Pick me only if you think I will play all the matches, otherwise don't. Then Srikkanth had a word with Dhoni before the Asia Cup. Dhoni said 'Viru Paa you will play'. After that I played a lot of cricket but I didn't share this with anyone because I knew what I had to do," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz show 'Match Party'.
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Sehwag made two half-centuries in India's next tri-series involving Pakistan and Bangladesh and although India lost to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final, Sehwag made two fifties and a hundred in that tournament to never look back again.
The former right-hander said every player responds to criticism differently. "Few players take criticism positively. There are some who take criticism to heart. Some put hands around their ears, some salute... So they express. Everyone has their way of handling things. Virat Kohli looks so aggressive or reactive, that is his style. Like Faf du Plessis said that he also tries to react that way as that gives energy to someone like Kohli to perform better," he addded.
