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Published 23:39 IST, August 2nd 2023

Old video resurfaces of Virender Sehwag making a fool of Ricky Ponting in front of umpire

Former Team India cricketer Virender Sehwag had a plenty of records to his name and liked to score runs against teams like Pakistan and Australia.

Reported by: Saksham Nagar
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Virender Sehwag during the Indian Premier League 2017 (Image: BCCI/IPL) | Image: self
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Former Indian cricket team opener Virender Sehwag who is one of the most explosive openers in the history of cricket was known for his funny and witty behaviour on and off the field. Sehwag distressed the bowlers from 1999 to 2013 and also hit two triple centuries in Tests and one double century in ODIs throughout his cricketing career. 

3 things you need to know 

  • Virender Sehwag is known as 'Sultan of Multan' for hitting a triple hundred against Pakistan in 2004
  • The 44-year-old is also known for his flamboyant commentating skills off the field 
  • Sehwag scored the most of his runs against Pakistan and Australia 

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Sehwag opens up on the incident when he made fun of Ricky Ponting

An old video of Virender Sehwag has resurfaced on the internet wherein he can be seen sharing an incident related to former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting. An old video has resurfaced in which the former Team India opener spoke about an issue related to few luxury items he gave to former Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf for not giving him out.

Sehwag further added:

Asad Rauf was very fond of collecting things. He loved wearing branded glasses, t-shirts, and shoes among other things. I was the brand ambassador of a renowed sports company at the time, so I gifted him shoes, t-shirts, and glasses and I jokingly told him not to raise his finger while I am batting.

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Asad Rauf was included in the ICC Elite Umpires Panel from 2006 to 2013. The incident was in IND vs AUS 2008 series wherein during the Mohali Test, while Team India was batting in their second innings, Sehwag was unbeaten at 80 runs. Virender Sehwag edged a ball bowled by Mitchell Johnson, which was turned down by the umpire Rauf, which was much to Australian captain Rikcy Ponting's disbelief. 

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Ricky Ponting went to Sehwag and then umpire Asad Rauf, however, the Indian opener brutally trolled the Australian skipper and denied Ponting's question. 

Virender Sehwag added 

And he did exactly that. We were playing against Australia in Mohali in 2008 – the same match where VVS Laxman got us over the line. Mitchell Johnson bowled a short-pitch delivery and I attempted a cut shot but ended up edging it. So thick was the edge that it was heard even inside the dressing room but Rauf gave me not out.

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Ricky Ponting was so angry that he went to the umpire and argued how he could give it not out. The umpire told him that there was no edge. Ponting then rushed to me and asked ‘Did you nick it?’ I said ‘Yes’. He then went back to Asad Rauf and told him ‘even Viru is saying he nicked it’. Then they both came up to me and Rauf asked me ‘Did you nick it?’ to which I said ‘No’.

Virender Sehwag played his final international match against Australia in the 2013 Border-Gavaskar Series in March 2013. 

23:39 IST, August 2nd 2023