The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Monday, November 13, that they have inducted former Indian opener Virender Sehwag into their Hall of Fame. He joins the ranks of other distinguished Indian cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Vinoo Mankad. Sehwag, known for his aggressive and fearless batting style, is the eighth Indian men’s cricketer to receive this honour.
In Test cricket, Sehwag achieved remarkable success, scoring 23 centuries, the fifth-highest by an Indian batter. His iconic innings of 319 runs against South Africa in Chennai in 2008 still stands as the highest individual score by an Indian player. Not limited to Test matches, Sehwag showcased his prowess in ODIs, accumulating 8,273 runs for India. His innings of 219 against the West Indies in 2011 remains the third-highest score by a male player in ODIs.
Beyond personal achievements, Sehwag played a vital role in India's success, contributing significantly to their victory in the 2011 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. His 380 runs in the tournament were the seventh-highest among all players.
Expressing his gratitude, Sehwag thanked the ICC and the jury for the honour, acknowledging the support of his family, friends, teammates, and fans. Meanwhile, former Indian women's captain Diana Edulji made history by becoming the first Indian female cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Edulji, who picked 109 wickets in 54 matches across formats, played a pioneering role in Indian women's cricket.
Additionally, legendary Sri Lankan batter Aravinda de Silva, known for his century in the 1996 World Cup final, also joined the Hall of Fame, becoming the fourth Sri Lankan after Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, and Mahela Jayawardene to receive this prestigious recognition. De Silva scored 6,361 runs in Tests and 9,284 runs in ODIs, showcasing his all-round cricketing skills.
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