“When I began my life journey, we'd survive on Rs 500 a month as a family. As time passed and I started playing for the country, this Rs 500 multiplied manifold, but it was not the money that mattered: it was the fact that I was fulfilling my ambition of playing cricket on the highest platform, representing my country.”

Indian cricketer

Virender Sehwag is a former Indian cricketer, active internationally from 1999 to 2013. A right-handed opener, he is known for aggressive batting and for his place among the leading batsmen of his era. He played for India in One Day Internationals and Test cricket, and also represented Delhi and Haryana in domestic cricket, as well as Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He served at times as stand-in captain and vice-captain, was part of India’s winning teams in the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, the 2007 T20 World Cup, and the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and was the top scorer at the 2002 Champions Trophy. In 2009 he became the first Indian to receive Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World, and in 2023 he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.