The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday (November 13) welcomed three cricket legends into the ICC Hall of Fame. Among the honorees were Indian stalwarts Virender Sehwag and Diana Edulji, as well as Sri Lankan legend Aravinda de Silva. It’s worth highlighting that Diana Edulji is the first Indian female player to be included in this prestigious list.
“The ICC announced three new additions to the ICC Hall of Fame on Monday, with legendary opener Virender Sehwag, India trailblazer Diana Edulji and Sri Lanka superstar Aravinda de Silva the latest inductees,” ICC wrote in a statement.
Edulji becomes the first Indian woman to join the elite list
Former captain Diana Edulji achieved the distinction of becoming the first Indian female cricketer to be enshrined in the ICC Hall of Fame. A pioneer in women’s cricket, Edulji left an indelible mark both on the field during her tenure as the captain of India and later as an influential administrator.
“It indeed is a great honour to be the first Indian Women Cricketer to be inducted and join a galaxy of cricketers, male and female from across the world,” the 67-year-old said in an ICC release.
Edulji’s remarkable career spanned three decades, from 1976 to 1993, during which she featured in 54 matches for India. She made her presence felt as a slow left-arm orthodox spinner, amassing over 100 wickets. Edulji also participated in 20 Tests, scoring 404 runs and claiming 63 wickets with an average of 25.77.
Sehwag feels ‘extremely grateful’ for the honour
Former Indian opener Sehwag expressed his overwhelming gratitude for being included in this historic list. “I would like to thank the ICC and the jury for inducting me with this honour. I feel extremely grateful for having spent a great part of my life doing what I loved most, ‘hitting the cricket ball. I would also like to thank my family, friends, people I played with, and countless people who prayed for me selflessly,” he said.
Virender Sehwag is one of the most formidable batsmen in the modern era. He represented the Indian cricket team from 1999 to 2013. Sehwag’s remarkable career featured a total of 23 Test centuries, ranking him fifth among Indian male players. His highest individual score of 319, achieved against South Africa in Chennai in 2008, remains the highest by any Indian player in Test cricket.
Over the course of 104 Test matches, Sehwag amassed 8,586 runs at an impressive average of 49.34. He also contributed with his bowling, taking 40 wickets during his Test career, which spanned from 2001 to 2013.