Mumbai: Swashbuckling Indian opener Virender Sehwag, who is set to play his landmark 100th Test match against England here on November 23, received rich tributes from Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, who want him to celebrate the occasion by scoring a ton.
“There should be more players like Sehwag. Players like him would bring back crowd to Test cricket. I want him to score a hundred in his 100th match,” said 1983 World Cup-winning captain Dev.
The 34-year-old Sehwag scored his first Test century in almost two years in the first game of the ongoing four-match series against England at Ahmedabad – a blistering 117 – to set up the platform for the huge Indian first score of 521 for 9.
India rode on the 34-year-old Delhi star’s ton, as well as the double century by Cheteshwar Pujara and a nine-wicket haul by Pragyan Ojha to carve out a thumping nine-wicket victory.
Vengsarkar said he was a big fan of Sehwag.
“He is an outstanding cricketer. He has played his (style of) game every time. There was a lean patch (in between) but he went on with aggression. If you see his Test record it is amazing, it’s a milestone for him. I am a huge fan of his. I hope he scores a hundred in his 100th Test match,” Vengsarkar said.
Sehwag, who is set to join a select list of eight other Indian batsmen, including Kapil and Vengsarkar, who have played 100 Tests, made a terrific debut by scoring 105 in 2001 against South Africa in Bloemfontein. (PTI)