“And then MS Dhoni dropped me from the side…”: Virender Sehwag admits considering early ODI retirement

Table of Contents

Virender Sehwag has revealed a little-known chapter from his cricketing journey—one where he came close to retiring from One-Day Internationals after being dropped by then-captain MS Dhoni.

The incident dates back to the 2007–08 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia, a tri-nation competition featuring India, Australia, and Sri Lanka. Sehwag, known for his fearless strokeplay, endured a lean run, managing just 81 runs in five games at an average of 16.20, with a highest score of 33.

“In the 2007–08 series against Australia, I played the first three matches and then MS Dhoni dropped me from the side. I wasn’t picked for a while after that,” Sehwag recalled in a conversation with Padamjeet Sehrawat on his Youtube channel. “Then I felt that if I can’t be part of the playing XI, there’s no point in playing ODI cricket.”

Disheartened, Sehwag approached his long-time teammate and close friend Sachin Tendulkar for advice. The conversation proved career-changing.

“I told Sachin, ‘I am thinking of retiring from ODIs.’ He said, ‘No, I went through a similar phase in 1999–2000 when I felt I should leave cricket. But that phase came and went. You’re just going through a trough, and it will pass. Don’t make any decision when you’re emotional. Give yourself one or two series before deciding,'” Sehwag recounted.

Six months later, Sehwag returned with a bang in the Kitply Cup, amassing 150 runs in three matches, including two half-centuries. That resurgence cemented his spot in the side and set the stage for his role in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph, where he scored 380 runs at a strike rate of 122.58.

Also READ: From Sachin Tendulkar to Hardik Pandya – Indian cricketers flood social media with wishes on India’s 79th Independence Day

“When that series ended, I played in the next series and made a lot of runs. I played the 2011 World Cup and we won the World Cup as well,” added Viru.

Sehwag’s ODI career, which he almost ended in 2008, went on to become one of India’s finest. He finished with 8,273 runs in 251 matches, including 15 centuries, and famously scored 219 against West Indies—the highest individual ODI score at the time.

Also READ: 3 reasons why Shreyas Iyer deserves a spot in India’s T20I squad for Asia Cup 2025