Sehwag reveals Sachin stopped him from retiring in 2007

The dashing opener called time on his international career on his 37th birthday last week, more than two years after his last international appearance, and amidst contradicting reports after he was unveiled alongside retired greats Brian Lara and Graeme Smith at the launch of a veterans’ league in Dubai.

“Every player wants to retire at the top of his international game. Had I also retired while playing international cricket, I could have given a retirement speech. But fate had something else in store for me,” Sehwag told Zee News.

“I was planning to retire in 2007 when dropped from the team, but Tendulkar stopped me from doing so,” he added.

Sehwag’s final international appearance came in the second Test against Australia in Hyderabad in March 2013. “The selectors did not ask me about my future plan before dropping me during Australia series in 2013. Had the selectors told me about their decision, I could have announced my retirement in that series,” he said.

“My both sons were upset. But it doesn’t matter to me,” he added.

In his prime, Sehwag was arguably the most destructive batsman in world cricket, and a key member of the Mahendra Dhoni-led side that climbed to the No. 1 ranking in Tests. He was a member of two World Cup-winning teams – the 2007 World T20 in South Africa, and the 2011 ODI World Cup in the sub-continent.

Sehwag is India’s only Test triple centurion, and one among only a handful of global batsmen to have scored two Test triple centuries and four other double centuries. The Delhi batsman is also one of only five international batsmen to have scored a double century in One-Day Internationals.

“Anil Kumble was the best captain I have played with. He used to boost our confidence level,” Sehwag said.

In a Test career spanning a dozen years, Sehwag, who cracked a century on debut, played in 104 matches and scored 8,586 runs at an impressive average of 49.34, with 23 centuries and 32 fifties.

The ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’, as he was fondly referred to for his easy, and, at times, nonchalant batting style, Sehwag also scored 8,273 runs at an average of 35.05 with 15 hundreds and 38 fifties in 251 ODIs.

“I will always be connected with this game. If I get an offer from the BCCI or any commentary offers, I will consider it. My commentary would be straight forward like my batting,” he said.

The Indian cricket board proposes to honour Sehwag for his contributions to Indian cricket during the final day of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi in December.