Virender Sehwag ended all speculations regarding his career as he announced his retirement from international cricket. He also confirmed that he would no longer play in the Indian Premier League.
"I hereby retire from all forms of international cricket and from the Indian Premier League. A statement will follow," Sehwag tweeted on Tuesday.
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There were reports that the batsman had retired from cricket during an event in Dubai on Monday, with speculation of him joining the Masters Champions League.
Sehwag was on Monday unveiled at the launch ceremony of the veterans Twenty20 league in Dubai. When Sehwag, who was present alongside Brian Lara, Graeme Smith and Azhar Mahmood at the launch, was asked how he could play as MCL is a retired cricketers' league, Sehwag said "If I am not retired I will not play. I will go back to India and announce my retirement."
That casual remark by him (on retirement) seemingly went viral, forcing the player to come up with a denial later in the day.
The right-handed opener is regarded as one of the greats of Indian cricket and was one of their biggest match-winners, especially in Test cricket, where he scored 8,586 runs in 104 matches, with a strike rate of 82.23 and an average of 49.34, with 23 centuries, including two triple hundreds.
The Delhi batsman holds the record for the highest score made by an Indian in Test cricket - 319 against South Africa at the M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. It was also the fastest triple century (off only 278 balls) in the history of international cricket.
Sehwag is also one of four batsmen in the world to have ever surpassed 300 twice in Test cricket - having also scored 309 against Pakistan in Multan in 2004, the first ever triple ton by an Indian batsman.
The opener, who turned 37 on Tuesday, also scored 8,273 runs in 251 ODIs, including 15 centuries, and was part of India's World Cup winning team in 2011. He also has a one-day double hundred to his credit - 219 against West Indies.
Besides, his batting prowess Sehwag was also a decent part-time bowler, taking 40 wickets in Tests and 96 in ODIs.
However, his last Test was in March 2013 - against Australia in Hyderabad - and his last ODI came against Pakistan in January 2013.
"Modern era's Viv Richards @virendersehwag a top player.enjoyed playing and watching u bat and making fun of bowlers," tweeted Harbhajan Singh (@harbhajan_singh).
"Opening in Tests could be put in two different eras...BS and AS. Before Sehwag & After Sehwag. Challenged the norms. Wrote a new manual," tweeted Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash).
"You were like no one else that played the game @virendersehwag. And that is why you were special. Everytime we think of you we will be happy," wrote Harsha Bhogle on his twitter handle (@bhogleharsha).
Zaheer Khan, another illustrious Indian cricketer and Sehwag's contemporary, had announced his international retirement last week.
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