Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly
Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly

Virender Sehwag received rich praise from Sourav Ganguly in the latest Netflix documentary that highlights the India-Pakistan rivalry. The series, which premieres on February 7, will delve deeply into one of the sport’s most heated rivalries.

Netflix is poised to premiere a new documentary series titled ‘The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan,’ which will explore the famous cricket match between India and Pakistan.

On January 29 (Wednesday), the streaming giant’s official social media handle released a 2-minute 13-second promo video featuring legendary cricketers from both countries, including Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Shoaib Akhtar, Sourav Ganguly, and Shikhar Dhawan, as they discuss the unparalleled passion surrounding India vs. Pakistan clashes.

Sourav Ganguly calls Virender Sehwag the greatest India Test opener after Sunil Gavaskar

During the documentary, ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly was discussing the 2003-04 tour of Pakistan. India traveled to Pakistan for the first time since 1989 and played 5 ODIs and 3 Tests. India won both the series, as they pocketed the ODI series 3-2 and the Test series 2-1.

Virender Sehwag had been promoted to open the innings for India in Test cricket, and in the Multan Test, the first Test between India and Pakistan since 1989, Sehwag created history. Sehwag became the first Indian to score a triple ton in Test cricket, making 309 runs, helping India win the Test.

Recalling his knock in Multan and later on in Test cricket, Sourav Ganguly, who captained India on that tour, called Sehwag the greatest Test opener for India after legendary Sunil Gavaskar.

Virender Sehwag’s record in Test cricket 

Virender Sehwag made his Test debut in 2001 against South Africa and scored a century in his first innings, batting at no. 6. However, with India struggling to find proper openers, Sourav Ganguly decided to make Sehwag an opener in Tests as he opened in ODIs at that time.

During a conversation with former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar a few years back, Sehwag disclosed who requested to the Indian team management that Viru, as he is affectionately known by teammates and fans, be promoted up the order.

Shoaib further asked, “Whose idea was it to have you open the batting?”

“This idea was Zaheer Khan’s; he gave the suggestion to (then captain) Sourav Ganguly, who had me open the innings,” Sehwag revealed.

Sehwag first opened for India on the tour of England in 2002 and didn’t look back and went on to become one of the most successful opening batsmen in the history of cricket before retiring towards the end of 2015.

He played 104 Tests and 251 One-Day Internationals for India, and he was a member of the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup winning squads.

In Tests, he scored 8586 runs at an average of 49.34, with 23 hundreds and 32 fifties. In ODIs, he scored 8273 runs at an average of 35.05, with 15 hundreds and 38 fifties. Sehwag also played 19 T20Is, scoring 394 runs, including two fifties.

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