Finally, the much-awaited Virender Sehwag gate at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium was inaugurated by the Indian legend himself on Tuesday evening, ahead of the 1st T20I between India and New Zealand. The gate was inaugurated in the presence of Sehwag’s former teammates and coaches – Madan Lal, Yashpal Sharma, Atul Wassan, Gursharan Singh, Nikhil Chopra, Robin Singh Jr and Hari Gidwani among others. “It is indeed a special day for me. Most of my former teammates, people who picked me, people who were my manager and my old friends are here. Bahut accha lagta hai purane dosto se mil ke. Some couldn’t come as they were not in Delhi. Bishan Singh Bedi, who couldn’t come today, was my first Ranji Trophy coach and he kept motivating me during my early days. I’m sure many of these will get stands, pavillions or dressing rooms in their name,” said an emotional Sehwag after inaugurating the gate.
“Whoever will enter through this gate will get motivated. They would think that when Sehwag came to play and left with a gate in his name. They would think that if they play Delhi U16, U19, U23, Ranji Trophy and India, even they could get a gate of their name,” he was quoted saying by The Indian Express.
However, the association made a huge blunder as well. One of the plates on the gate read as, “only Indian to score a triple century in Test cricket.” Even though Sehwag was the first Indian cricketer to score a triple century in Tests, Karun Nair joined him in the elite club last year when he smashed 303 not out against England in 2016. This fact was somehow ignored by the association.
The gate was promised by the association a decade ago and finally turned into reality, yesterday. Apart from the gate, the focus will also be on Sehwag’s good friend and former teammate, Ashish Nehra who will be playing his last competitive match. The former Indian opener was in no mood to share the limelight though. To a question on Nehra’s retirement, he quipped, “Wo kal baat karege, aaj mera din hai to meri baat karte hain.”