Anand Datla

Virender Sehwag retires from cricket; does golf excite him?

Virender Sehwag could be a welcome addition to the golfing fraternity

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Virender Sehwag could satiate his passion for action with some golf

October 21, 2015: As Virender Sehwag walks away into the sunset, hanging his cricketing boots on his 37th birthday one wonders if cricket’s loss could be golf’s gain. Fans will recollect fondly that the dashing Indian opener has been dabbling in golf since 2005.

The iconic Indian opener redefined the art of attacking batting with a rare flamboyance, especially for someone who batted at the top of the order. Sehwag’s natural flair with a swinging bat and his legendary hand eye co-ordination could prove to be his allies if he chose to pursue a career in amateur golf.

A Tribune shot of Virender Sehwag playing golf in 2005
A 2005 PTI picture of Virender Sehwag playing golf

Sehwag can also look forward to some fun anecdotal banter on the course besides some intellectual exploration if he did choose to spend time on the plush green courses of India. With Kapil Dev already an accomplished amateur, Sehwag could find a mentor who shares his penchant for playing on the strength of instinct.

Murali Karthik has made it amply clear that he intends to develop into a scratch golfer as he pursues his post cricket aspirations.
With golf on the upswing in India the entry of Sehwag could excite sponsors and create new platforms for the exhibition of the game in India.

Sehwag hails from a legendary era for cricket in India and has left fans richer through his wealthy expression on the cricket field, irrespective of the colour of his flannels.

The fact that he reached his maiden triple century with a fearless sixer is stuff of legend as is his collection of double centuries in the longer format.

The power from his well-endowed arms could help Sehwag drive far, setting up opportunities for the cricketer to get up and down without too much damage to his card. His ability to pierce the fielding net and score runs should help him stay on the fairways and land on the greens.

Sehwag has been known to play golf during his time off from cricket when he was an active cricketer. Viru was pictured playing golf in the midst of an Indo-Pak series way back in 2005, when the Tribune reported his golfing adventure ahead of the final test in that three match series.

Golfing Indian wishes Sehwag a happy and flourishing retirement and looks forward to see the dashing cricket wield a golf club again soon.

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