Virender Sehwag is India's fifth-highest run-scorer in Tests with 8503 runs but the former opener says that had he not gotten dropped from the team for 11 months, he could have ended his career with over 10,000 runs in the format. Ever since his memorable Test debut in 2001, where he scored a century against South Africa at Bloemfontein, Sehwag became an integral part of the Indian side in both ODIs and Tests, but poor form saw Sehwag, who was then the vice-captain, get sidelined, first from the ODI set-up and later from Tests. Also Read:
"Suddenly, I realised I was not part of the Test side; it hurt. I would have ended with 10,000+ Test runs had I not been dropped for that period," Sehwag said during an episode of 'Home of Heroes' on Sports18.
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Sehwag was dropped during Rahul Dravid's tenure as captain. After playing his 52nd Test in January 2007, Sehwag played his 53rd after a year in Australia. Sehwag was ignored by the selectors after India's tour of South Africa in 2006/07, after which he only played ODIs and T20Is. During his time away from India's Test squad, Sehwag played Ranji Trophy but struggled with just 66 runs from five innings for Delhi. Sehwag had later revealed that he had contemplated retirement after being dropped but was advised not to do so by Sachin Tendulkar.
However, just before India's tour of Australia in December of 2007, the selectors sprung a surprise by recalling Sehwag for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It was a surprise because Sehwag was not named in India's list of 24 probables, but after Gautam Gambhir was advised a three-week rest due to a sore shoulder, the BCCI took the punt on Sehwag.
{{/usCountry}}However, just before India's tour of Australia in December of 2007, the selectors sprung a surprise by recalling Sehwag for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It was a surprise because Sehwag was not named in India's list of 24 probables, but after Gautam Gambhir was advised a three-week rest due to a sore shoulder, the BCCI took the punt on Sehwag.
{{/usCountry}}In fact, some of Sehwag's best knocks came after he was recalled to India's Test set-up, scoring a career-best 319 against South Africa in Chennai in 2008 and almost knocking off a third Test triple-century when he scored 293 against Sri Lanka. In February of 2010, Sehwag reached the pinnacle and became the No. 1-ranked Test batter in the ICC rankings after hitting successive centuries against South Africa – 165 in Kolkata and 109 in Nagpur.