Virender Sehwag and Diana Edulji join elusive list of Indians in the Hall of Fame
It is a proud day for India as the Apex Cricket Board today inducted Virender Sehwag and Diana Edulji into its prestigious ‘Hall of Fame’. The induction is a fitting tribute to their achievements in the sport.
Sehwag, 45, represented India in 104 Tests, 251 ODIs and 19 T20 Internationals in an international career spanned 14 years. Sehwag scored 17,253 runs and 38 centuries across the three formats. Sehwag was a key member of the Indian teams that won the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He was also a member of the Indian contingent that reached the final of the 2003 Cricket World Cup. A true legend of Indian cricket, Sehwag will be remembered for his fearless batting and his ability to score runs quickly. He was a true entertainer, and he always put on a show for the fans.
Edulji on the other hand, featured in 20 Tests and 34 ODIs respectively picking up 63 and 46 wickets respectively. A left-arm spinner by trade, Edulji was a very successful bowler and is the third-highest wicket-taker in the history of women’s Test cricket. She took 63 wickets in 20 Test matches, at an average of 21.25. She also took 20 wickets in 21 ODI matches, at an average of 14.75. In addition to her bowling, Edulji was also a useful lower-order batsman. She received India’s then-greatest sports honour award, the Arjuna Award in 1983. The Government of India awarded her the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 2002.
Sehwag and Edulji join the elusive list of Indians
Along with Sehwag and Edulji, Sri Lanka’s Aravinda de Silva was also inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’. A certified great of the game, de Silva played 93 Tests and 308 ODIs for his country. He played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s historic 1996 Cricket World Cup victory, etching his name into cricketing folklore with his match-winning century and a crucial three-wicket haul, earning him the coveted Man of the Match award in the final against Australia.
Before the induction, the Hall of Fame comprised seven Indians- Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Vinoo Mankad- all of whom have contributed immensely to the game. Like the duo of Sehwag and Edulji, the other seven have also had sublime careers and are among the very best to have played the game.
