One of the most destructive batsmen of his generation, Virender Sehwag had a swagger and dominance over bowlers and onlookers like few others in the game. A man that combined elegance with an absolute disdain for the cricket ball, talk to any bowler and chances are that most of them will recall what a nightmare it was to bowl to Sehwag. Such was the destructive ability of Viru even in an era where watchfulness and caution was still the watchword.
But, even as someone who threw caution to the wind and was focused on giving aggressive starts to his team, Sehwag managed to score two test triple centuries (and very nearly scored a third), becoming the first and only Indian and the fourth batsman in cricket history to do so after Don Bradman, Chris Gayle and Brian Lara (some company that).
Sehwag displayed aggression matched by very few and added a different dimension to the already-powerful Indian batting lineup. His explosive attitude and ability to hit hard while also able to bat long made him a thorn in the opponent’s bush and a fan favorite amidst the cricket-crazy Indian public throughout this 14-year-career.
VIRENDER SEHWAG FACT FILE Date of Birth 20 October 1978 Birthplace Najafgarh, Delhi Nickname Viru, Nawab of Najafgarh Height 5’ 5” (170 cm) Weight 70kg Occupation Cricketer, Commentator, Entrepreneur, TV Pundit
Teams RepresentedIndia, Asia XI, Delhi, Delhi Capitals, ICC World XI, India Blue, Northamptonshire, North Zone, Rest of India, India A, Punjab Kings, Rest of the World XI, Haryana, Sachin Blasters, Gemini Arabians, India Legends, India Maharajas, Gujarat Giants Honours Arjuna Award – 2002; Padma Shri – 2010 Net Worth ₹351.5 crores ($42 million) Earnings/year $7.5 million Spouse Aarti Ahlawat (m.2004) Children Aryavir (b.2007), Vedant (b.2010)
As one of the premier batsmen of Indian cricket and his generation, Sehwag was among the highest-paid players in the Indian team and has since carved a niche for himself as an ace commentator and TV pundit, making sure his love for the game never diminishes. The destructive opener is now recognized for his witty commentary and social media posts. But, this has also showered him with good fortune and made him a viable commercial entity.
Today, Sehwag ranks among the richest cricketers in the world, even after retirement, thanks to his savvy business choices and his expertise in being a herald of the game.
VIRENDER SEHWAG: CAREER IN NUMBERS
It’s not without reason that many legendary bowlers consider Sehwag to be among the toughest batsmen they have bowled to. Sehwag was one of the foremost exponents of explosive opening batting, but at the same time, he did not just resort to mere slogging, that’s not how two Test triple centuries and a double century in ODIs come about.
At a time when resilience and staying at the crease for long periods was the mantra of most cricketers, Sehwag became the living exponent of “attack is the best form of defence”. A key component of Sehwag’s supremacy with the bat was his gifted skill of hand-eye coordination that allowed him to judge the deliveries at the earliest and be able to smash them disdainfully.Format Matches Innings Runs Average SR 50s 100s Highest Wickets BBI Test 104 180 8,586 49.34 82.23 32 23 319 40 5/104 ODI 251 245 8,273 35.06 104.34 38 15 219 96 4/6 T20I 19 19 394 21.89 145.39 2 – 68 – – IPL 104 104 2,728 27.56 155.44 16 2 122 6 2/18 FC 194 321 14,683 47.36 – 55 42 319 105 5/104 List A 332 321 10,454 34.05 – 57 16 219 142 4/6
Sehwag had a career strike rate of more than 82 in tests and a staggering 104 in ODIs, while having to face up first against some of the deadliest pacers and spinners in history in an era where T20 cricket was still nowhere near a thing. He is the only batsman in history to have scored more than 8,000 runs in both ODIs and Tests as an opener proving why he is considered among the best opening batsmen in the game’s illustrious history.
HONOURS
- Polly Umrigar Award for International Cricketer of the Year (awarded by the BCCI): 2007
- Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World: 2008, 2009
- ICC Test Player of the Year: 2010
For his efforts, Sehwag also had a dream career, being one of only six players to be a part of both of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 Cricket World Cup triumphs (with Gautam Gambhir, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth).
SEHWAG’S OFF-FIELD EARNINGS
Thanks to his legendary performances on the pitch and his affable personality off it, Sehwag has amassed an impressive net worth of more than ₹350 crores, establishing him among the richest cricketers in the world. A key component of Viru’s off-field earnings are from his stints as a commentator and as a pundit.
ENDORSEMENTS
Over the years, Sehwag has consciously tried to align himself with local brands, but he still does promote a number of major international brands like sportswear brand Puma and major technology companies like Samsung and Xiaomi (India).
He also endorses some other brands which include names such as:
- Boost – A milk-based malt beverage
- JK Cements
- PolicyX.com
- MyTeam11
- ICICI Bank
- Kamla Pasand
- ThumsUp
Sehwag’s popularity and his focus on local brands makes him one of the highest-paid cricketers in India with the 45-year-old reportedly charging more than $350,000/year for an endorsement deal. The Nawab of Najafgarh (his birthplace), as he is affectionately titled, reportedly earns more than $4 million from endorsements each year.
INVESTMENTS
The Delhi-born opener has also taken his approach towards promoting local brands a step further by investing in various businesses. In 2023, Sehwag joined a number of investors in backing Two Brothers Organic Farms, a local company involved in growing and selling organic produce. Earlier this year, the former Indian batsman reportedly invested close to $500,000 in Gatepay, a fintech company based out of Jaipur, Rajasthan and also came onboard as a brand ambassador for the company in its quest for pan-India expansion.
Apart from his profitable initiatives and ventures, Sehwag also opened the Sehwag International School in 2011. The school, situated in the town of Jhajjar, Haryana, is home to a number of students including those from underprivileged areas in adjoining states. Viru started this project to fulfill his late father’s dream of opening an institution for kids to fulfill their promising futures. The school functions on a 23-acre plot of land that was offered to him by the Haryana government as a reward for his second triple century that he scored in 2008.
In a reality show that he participated in 2017, Sehwag revealed that nearly 25 students from his school have represented in state and national level competitions. Along with handling the operations of the school, Sehwag has also opened up several cricket academies across Delhi and other neighboring states to help promote the cricketing dreams of young boys and girls.
SEHWAG’S REAL ESTATE AND LIFESTYLE
Like his batting and his personality, Sehwag is a man who likes to live a lavish and luxurious life. After all, the Nawab of Najafgarh has to live life king size and Sehwag’s luxurious assets in real estate and automobiles, which are several in number, indicate his desire for the same.
The 45-year-old currently stays with his family in a plush farmland property, named ‘Krishna Niwas’, in the Hauz Khas locality, which is among the costliest and poshest areas of New Delhi. Sehwag’s property includes lush green lawns and among other major amenities a massive outdoor pool area.
His palatial residence houses 12 rooms and a large garage that sports his bevy of fancy cars (more on them later). Sehwag also owns another lavish property in his homebase of Najafgarh, a bustling locality where he was born and spent his youth at. The cricketer refurbished his old house to its modern equivalent containing stylish interiors and finery, showcasing the ex-Indian cricketer’s taste for the good things in life.
SEHWAG’S CAR COLLECTION
Like his fellow cricketers, Sehwag also sports some high-end wheels. The former Indian opener is a fan of luxury cars and his collection indicates the taste of a connoisseur.
The 45-year-old owns a ₹5.6 crore-worth Bentley Continental Flying Spur which is arguably his most treasured car. When he is not flying around in his Bentley though, Sehwag might feel spoiled for choice among his other fancy cars which include a top-end BMW 730d which costs nearly ₹1.8 crore and was reportedly gifted to him by his fellow opener and teammate Sachin Tendulkar and also a BMW 5-series sedan.
POPULARITY AND SOCIAL MEDIA
One of the most revered Indian cricketers of all time, Sehwag made his name as one of the fiercest batsmen of his generation. His devil-may-care attitude was a breath of fresh air for Indian cricket fans and his ability to play long, destructive innings has made him an integral part of cricketing folklore.
A big part of Sehwag’s popularity is his relaxed persona which was also evident during his batting. The swashbuckling opener’s desire to dominate bowlers was just one part of his persona on the pitch. It’s also widely known that the opener used to sing retro Hindi songs to keep himself relaxed and clearheaded while out in the middle.
Sehwag also contributed heavily to Delhi cricket. The man who put Delhi on the world map among his other illustrious peers was duly rewarded for his efforts by the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA). On 31 October 2017, the controlling body for cricket in the nation’s capital honored Sehwag by naming Gate No.2 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium after him.
A dream moment for Sehwag whose name was christened to the gate at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi in 2017
Ever since his retirement, Sehwag has been enjoying life as a commentator, pundit and also through his witty social media posts. Be it his quirky one-liners, musical renditions to retro Hindi songs or the well-timed social media captions, Sehwag has often shown that he is a man of many talents.
Instagram – 8.1 million followers
Twitter/X – 23.8 million followers
Facebook – 17 million followers
Viru’s social media posts and initiatives have also helped him garner a sizable following and the former Delhi Capitals opener has cashed in on his popularity with brands keen to be a partner across his social media profiles. In an interaction a few years ago, Sehwag revealed that he earns nearly $3 million from various posts and promotions across social media platforms.
IS SEHWAG A PHILANTHROPIST?
Along with his investment and commercial ventures, Sehwag has also showcased the magnanimity in his heart and his care for giving back to the society. He started the ‘Virender Sehwag Foundation’, a non-profit, charitable venture, in 2015, to serve the underprivileged and marginalized sections of the society in areas within and around Delhi and NCR (National Capital Region).
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Sehwag started a campaign to prepare and distribute free meals and facilities for more than 50,000 people. His noble initiative found an able partner in prominent pizza chain, Dominos, who stepped in to deliver the meals prepared to some of Delhi’s poorest areas and also frontline health workers.
