"He Pulled Me By My Collar" - Virender Sehwag Recalls Altercation With John Wright In 2004
Published - 03 Aug 2023, 01:09 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:16 AM
Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag recently revealed a shocking incident involving an altercation with the former Indian team head coach John Wright back in 2004. Virender Sehwag confirmed that John Wright pulled his collar after a poor performance against England in an ODI match.
John Wright was appointed as the head of the Indian team in 2000, when the team was struggling due to the match-fixing scandal. The former New Zealand cricketer was part of the national team until 2005. The Men in Blue reached the final of the 2003 World Cup under his tenure as coach.
How Can A Gora Hit Me – Virender Sehwag
During the launch of former BCCI General Manager Amrit Mathur’s book, “Pitchside: My life in Indian cricket,” Virender Sehwag stated that he complained to the BCCI officials immediately after that incident.
“I was pushed around by John Wright (ex-head coach of team India) in 2004 England tour. He pulled me by my collar after I got out cheaply,” said Virender Sehwag.
“I was very angry and said to (the then manager) Rajiv Shukla, How can a gora hit me. Later Amrit Mathur and Rajiv Shukla got me and Wright to patch up,” he added.
Wright played a crucial role in developing young talent during his tenure. He backed youngsters who later became match-winners for the Indian cricket team. Gautam Gambhir, MS Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, and Yuvraj Singh (Test) made their international debuts under Wright.
Virender Sehwag was considered one of the most destructive openers in Indian cricket. The right-handed batter made his debut in 1999 and played his final match in 2013. He represented India in 104 Tests, 251 ODIs, and 19 T20Is, scoring 8586, 8273, and 394 runs, respectively.
The 44-year-old was the second Indian to score a double hundred in an ODI and the first captain to do so. He scored 219 runs against the West Indies in 2011. He played a crucial role in the 2011 World Cup, scoring 380 runs with an average of 47.5 and a strike rate of 122.58.
