The top five knocks of Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag is a day from his 40th birthday and heres a collection of brightest knocks — Virender Sehwag is a day from his 40th birthday and here's a collection of brightest knocks

Bengaluru, October 19: In a matter of few hours, Virender Sehwag will enter Club 40. One of the greatest openers of all time, Sehwag built his career on incessant aggression and marvellous eye-hand co-ordination. He started off his Test career with a hundred against South Africa at Bloemfontain in 2001 and the journey stopped in 2013 later with 8586 runs from 104 Tests at 49.34 with 23 hundreds and 8273 runs from 251 ODIs with 15 hundreds. His ODI debut came in 1999 against Pakistan at Mohali.

Here's MyKhel looks at the top five international knocks of Sehwag ahead of the big day and few more will be on your way about the Nawab of Najafgarh.

1. 309 vs Pakistan, 2004

It was the first time an Indian batsman breached the 300-run barrier and his 309 came off 375 balls with 39 fours and 6 sixes. India had won that match by an innings and 52 runs. Rahul Dravid captained India in that match in the absence of regular skipper Sourav Ganguly and him declaring the innings when Sachin Tendulkar batting at 194 generated a lot of discussions.

2. 319 vs South Africa, 2008

On a pitch made for batsmen, Sehwag did not miss the opportunity - he registered the second 300 against his name. The match ended in a tame draw but Sehwag entered the club of batsmen who scored two triple hundreds in Test cricket. The posh place has Don Bradman, Brian Lara and Chris Gayle as other occupants.

3. 293 vs Sri Lanka, 2009

Sehwag nearly built a temple for himself at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. He made 293 off just 254 balls with 40 fours and 7 sixes - 202 runs in boundaries. Bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath were treated like club-level amateurs. But that knock helped India seal the series.

4. 219 vs West Indies, 2011

This was the second double hundred in ODIs after Sachin Tendular even 200 against South Africa a year earlier. At Indore, Sehwag made 219 off 149 balls with 25 fours and 7 sixes. India posted a mammoth 418 for five and won the match by a whopping margin of 153 runs.

5. 195 vs Australia, 2003

At Melbourne, India lost the match as Australia levelled the series. But Sehwag's resplendent 195 off 235 balls with 25 fours and five sixes will remain etched in memory. On 195, he went for a six off Simon Katich to complete the 200 but was grabbed by Nathan Bracken at deep. His dismissal also changed the course of the game irrevocably.