'Told Sachin, If I get a 3rd triple ton you will have to...': Sehwag's unheard tale of 293
Sehwag revealed that he never played cricket to achieve records and that it came as it is before admitting that there was one particular milestone he wanted to achieve. After two triple centuries in his career, four years apart, Sehwag wanted to became the first batter in cricket history with three such scores in Tests.
Virender Sehwag was the first ever India batter to score a triple century in Test cricket, and remained the sole batter until Karun Nair emulated the same in the 2016 Test match against England. Sehwag however remains not just the first India with two such knocks - 309 against Pakistan in Multan in 2004 and 319 versus South Africa in Chennai in 2008 - but is also only among the four ever batters in world cricket. He came mighty close with the historic third in the match against Sri Lanka in 2009 at the Brabourne Stadium. 14 years since that knock of 293 off 254, Sehwag revealed a never before heard story from that match involving Sachin Tendulkar.
Speaking to Ranveer Allahbadia on his YouTube show 'The Ranveer Show', Sehwag revealed that he never played cricket to achieve records and that it came as it is before admitting that there was one particular milestone he wanted to achieve. After two triple centuries in his career, four years apart, Sehwag wanted to became the first batter in cricket history with three such scores in Tests.
In response of Sri Lanka's 393 in the first innings of the third Test match of the 2009/10 series, Sehwag single-handedly led India to a monstrous lead, while being successfully aided by centurion MS Dhoni. The former India opener had scored 293, standing seven short of the historic mark before Muralidaran crumbled his hopes.
Sehwag revealed that he had made a deal with Sachin in getting a work done in exchange for a third triple century. He never revealed it to Sachin, although the latter had agreed to do it. But with the hopes crashing, Sehwag remained tight-lipped on the matter, never revealing what work it truly was. Not even Sachin knows it till date, claims Sehwag.
“I never played for records. I never looked to achieve anything. But the one thing I did aim for, I failed - the third triple century. I was dismissed for 293,” he said.
“I have never spoken of this before. And probably I feel I would never say this to anyone. There was a moment where I told Sachin, 'If I get a third triple century, you will get a work done for me.' He asked me, 'what work?' I said: 'If I say this now, what purpose will it serve.' Eventually he agreed. But it never happened and hence I never told him about that work. It remains unfulfilled and hence revealing it now serves no good.”
Sehwag scored six more centuries in the remaining three years of his illustrious Test career, but never managed to reach close to a double ton, let alone a triple century.
