Kolkata: With the bat he was unstoppable, no matter who the bowler was. Even under crunch situations, he preferred crooning while batting. That’s Virender Sehwag for you. Cool as a cucumber and a man who never shies away from challenges.
Post-retirement, the former dashing opening batsman has been sharing his expertise in the commentary box. And in the world of social media, he is a force to reckon with. Now, the buzz is that Sehwag will embark on a new journey in a web series that is slated to be unveiled next week.
Not too many details of the endeavour have been disclosed, but the producers plan to cash in on Sehwag’s sense of humour to popularise the show. Talk of humour, Sehwag’s sledging during his days grabbed limelight be it towards Shoaib Akhtar or Mushfiqur Rahim.
Remember what the Nawab of Najafgarh told Akhtar when the latter tried to act funny with him? “Your father is at the other end,” Sehwag returned the gesture to Akhtar pointing at Sachin Tendulkar who was at the non-striker’s end.
Even while commentating, Sehwag shows his witty side when he shares some light moments of his career. In one instance, he spoke of how Gautam Gambhir made him follow a particular menu since it got the southpaw runs. Through his tweets, he is an entertainer too, be it on demonetisation or any other topic. Sehwag has a point and he demonstrates it in his own inimitable style.
Indian sportspersons entering the world of entertainment isn’t a new phenomenon though: Sunil Gavaskar, Salim Durrani, Leander Paes, Bhaichung Bhutia, Sanjay Manjrekar, Sania Mirza, Kapil Dev, the list is endless. Now the latest addition is Sehwag who has represented India in 104 Tests, 251 ODIs and 19 T-20 Internationals. As Viru treads a new path, it should be an experience of a kind not just for the man himself but also for his fans who worship him.