Former India opener Virender Sehwag recalls his hands becoming red following catching exercises with ex-India speedster Yograj Singh when he was younger. Sehwag revealed that Yograj would deliver catches to players from close quarters, and no one involved in the drill could disagree.
Sehwag stated that the players eventually had to ask Yograj to focus on others in the camp and incorporate them in the practice to get some relief.
“Paaji, please forgive me. But the kind of catches he gave us standing at a distance of 15 yards. After taking 10-12 catches, your hands turned red. But you couldn’t say no. So finally we had to tell him that there are other boys around, and you can give them catching drills as well. It is not just us,” Sehwag said on The Life Savers Show with Neha Bedi.
Yograj, who is the father of legendary Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, is known for his strict coaching techniques. He even put his son through tough practice sessions during his childhood days to prepare him for the rigours of international cricket.
Virender Sehwag urges youngsters to play age-group cricket before IPL
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has provided players with a fantastic platform to showcase their talent and hone their skills while playing alongside some of the best cricketers in the world. Sehwag, however, urged youngsters to play age-group cricket and domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy and the Duleep Trophy before venturing into the IPL.
“The key is to play Under-19s, First-class cricket, and then the IPL. It can’t be that you don’t play the others, but only play the IPL. The IPL can be an aim, but you need to play other tournaments such as Under-19s, Ranji Trophy, and Duleep Trophy, and then you can get a chance in the IPL,” he said.
Sehwag retired from all forms of cricket on October 20, 2015. The cricketer-turned-commentator played 104 Tests, 251 ODIs, and 19 T20Is, amassing 17,253 runs across formats.
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