West Indian great Viv Richards and great Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag were both known for their fearless and aggressive cricket. Just a day after Viv Richards praised Virender Sehwag for his incredible contribution to Test cricket, the former India opener showed his respect for the cricketer.
Both Richards and Sehwag took over their bowlers from the very first ball, but the former Indian opener’s impact in Test cricket was uniquely devastating. The 46-year-old has made every session spectacular and has left bowlers from Australia to South Africa and Pakistan speechless.
Even today, after his retirement in 2014, the absence of the West Indies great at the top of India’s batting order is noticeable, with only Yashasvi Jaiswal reflecting Sehwag’s fearless approach. Sehwag’s statistics prove his legacy as one of the most destructive openers.
Virender Sehwag’s fearless style leaves a deep impact on Viv Richards
In 104 Test matches, Sehwag scored 8,586 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 82.23, which is still the most by any Indian batsman in the traditional format of the game. He also scored India’s first triple century against Pakistan in 2004 and repeated the feat against South Africa in 2008. He came very close to his third triple century by scoring 293 runs against Sri Lanka in 2009.
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Sehwag’s approach was simple but brutal: look at the ball, hit the ball. He attacked all the time, be it lunch, tea or the last over before stumps; Each session was an opportunity to dominate the bowlers. One of Sehwag’s iconic innings came in the 2003 MCG Test against Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
His blitz of 195 showed how he could take control of a match from the start, forcing the bowlers to constantly change their plans; Yet, they failed to control his devastation. The former Indian opening batsman’s adventurous style made him a nightmare for any bowling attack and inspired a generation of aggressive batsmen.
Viv Richards calls Virender Sehwag a fearless force who revived Test cricket
Viv Richards saw his reflection in Sehwag. He praised how Sehwag revived enthusiasm in Test cricket, bringing fans back into the stadiums even when matches seemed one-sided. Sehwag carried forward the tradition of aggressive cricket by keeping the format alive with his fearless style.
He said, “When I saw Sehwag bat, I saw my own reflection. I found him more dangerous than Shahid Afridi and Adam Gilchrist. Test cricket was dying out, but Sehwag revived the format. The kind of excitement he brought to the game is one of the reasons why 15,000 to 20,000 fans are turning up to watch a weak West Indies team even today. That is Sehwag’s legacy.”
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Virender Sehwag reacts to Viv Richards’ praise
Virender Sehwag feels honored by Viv Richards’ praise and responded with gratitude. He acknowledged Richards’ influence on cricket and said he was keeping the tradition alive for the next generation. He also stressed that Test cricket will continue to flourish as long as players enjoy playing aggressively and fearlessly.
Sehwag posted,
Kind regards, Sir @evivianrichards
You made the bowlers fear the batsmen – I have kept this tradition alive for the next generation.
Test cricket will never end as long as there is fun in attacking!– Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) 13 October 2025
