‘Tell him not to come near me’: Virender Sehwag recalls what he told Rahul Dravid after spat with India dressing room member | Cricket News

Even the most fearless cricketers have moments when words sting, and Virender Sehwag recently opened up about one such episode with former India coach Greg Chappell. Known for his fearless batting and explosive style, Sehwag revealed that Chappell’s words once hit him hard during a rough patch in his career. Recalling the incident on The Life Savers Show, Sehwag said that Chappell told him, “If you don’t move your feet, you won’t score runs.” Sehwag, confident in his own abilities, reminded him of his record, saying he had scored over 6,000 runs at an average of more than 50. But Chappell was firm, replying, “Doesn’t matter.” The conversation escalated into a tense argument, prompting Rahul Dravid to step in and separate the two. Despite the confrontation, Sehwag’s focus did not waver. When he went out to bat later, Chappell reportedly warned him, “Make sure you score, or I’ll drop you.” Sehwag turned the pressure into motivation. By the end of the second session, he had compiled a magnificent 184 runs, showing why he was one of India’s most feared openers. Reflecting on the incident, Sehwag said he later told Dravid, “Tell your coach not to come near me,” highlighting the mix of frustration and determination that defined the encounter.Virender Sehwag’s international career was defined by fearless strokeplay and a mindset that changed the way India approached batting across formats. Making his ODI debut in 1999, Sehwag rose to prominence with his explosive batting at the top of the order, often dismantling world-class attacks with ease.

He played 104 Tests, scoring 8,586 runs at an average of 49.34 with 23 centuries, including two triple hundreds, becoming the first Indian to achieve the feat. In ODIs, he amassed 8,273 runs in 251 matches with 15 hundreds, including a record-breaking 219 against West Indies in 2011, which at the time was the highest individual ODI score. Sehwag was also part of India’s victorious campaigns in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, giving the team blistering starts in crucial matches. Known for his uncomplicated batting philosophy of hitting the ball if it was there to be hit, Sehwag left a lasting impact on Indian cricket as one of the most destructive openers the game has ever seen.