Melbourne: Amazed by the mental strength that Virender Sehwag exhibited in his prime, former Australian captain Ian Chappell said he would miss the just-retired Indian swashbuckler, who could well have continued but only if he sacrificed his natural game.
"He might have prolonged his career, but he might not have been Sehwag. I like it that he said, this is how I play, take it or leave it," Chappell told 'ESPNCricinfo'.
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Dubbing the right-hander, who bid adieu to the game on Tuesday, as one of the "most entertaining batsman", Chappell said, "It has been many hours of pleasure watching Sehwag batting. He is a player of great mental strength. He just listens to you and then goes to the field the way he wants. And to be so successful in it was amazing."
Chappell also recounted an incident which gave an insight into Sehwag's uncomplicated approach to the game. "I remember, I met John Wright during his coaching in India. He said to me after Sehwag got out cheaply off a bad stroke, he told Sehwag to be a bit cautious. When I asked John what was Sehwag's reply, John said Sehwag just smiled and did not reply. I am going to miss Sehwag, as I really enjoyed his batting," he recalled.
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"The specialty about him was he said this is the way I play, you can say what you like about it but this is how I play. This suits me best. There are not many guys who are so mentally strong like him," he said.
The 72-year-old also admitted that he is going to miss Sehwag, as he really enjoyed his batting. In a glorious international career spanning over 12 years, Sehwag played 104 Tests scoring 8586 runs at an impressive average of 49.34, hitting 23 centuries and 32 half-centuries.
He is the only triple centurion in Tests for India having scored a career-best knock of 319 against Pakistan at Multan, which also is an Indian record. He is also one of those rare batsmen to have scored two triple tons with his next one (309) coming against South Africa.
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In 251 ODIs, he accumulated 8273 runs at an average of 35.05 and scored 15 hundreds apart from hitting 38 fifties. In 19 Twenty20 internationals, he managed 394 runs with two half-centuries.
