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Cricket Players'Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Yousuf welcomed me by abusing a lot': Sehwag recalls India debut against Pakistan
Sehwag, who was just 21 at the time of his debut, revealed how he was at the receiving end of abuses hurled at him by several Pakistan cricketers on the field, including Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Yousuf and others.
Most remember Virender Sehwag’s India debut to be against Australia in an ODI in Bengaluru during the famous 2001 series – where he scored 58 runs and took three wickets to be adjudged Player of the Match – but what they don’t know is the fact that Sehwag’s debut for India came back in the year 1999, in an ODI against Pakistan in Mohali. The former India batsman, who was just 21 at the time of his debut, revealed how he was at the receiving end of abuses hurled at him by several Pakistan cricketers on the field, including Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Yousuf and others.
"I was around 20-21 years old then. When I went in to bat, the players like Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Yousuf and all other Pakistan team members, welcomed me by abusing a lot, which I hadn't even heard before” Sehwag told RJ Raunak in his new show, 13 Jawab Nahi.
"I understood a bit of Punjabi so I could figure the abuses that were hurled at me but I couldn't do much because it was my first match and I was nervous myself. Some 20-25000 people had come to watch the match and I had never imagined of playing in front of so many people. So back then, I couldn't do much, but later when I became a player, I ensured I gave it back to them."
Sehwag had a phenomenal record batting against Pakistan, scoring 1276 runs in Tests at an average of 91.14 with four centuries. In ODIs, Sehwag scored 1071 runs from 31 matches averaging 34.5 and with two centuries and six fifties. The reason why he always took a liking to Pakistan’s bowling, says Sehwag, is linked to his experience against them on his debut.
"When we went to Pakistan for the 2004 tour, by scoring the triple-century in Multan, I returned all their abuses and exacted revenge. Whenever I played against Pakistan, automatically my blood starts boiling and that's why I always performed well against them and averaged well," Sehwag added.
