Virender Sehwag is truly one of a kind. The swashbuckling former Indian opener redefined the art of opening the batting with his murderous stroke play. During his prime, his hand-eye coordination was something to wonder at. And the uncomplicated way he looked at batting and at life in general endeared him to almost everyone.
In fact, ever since his retirement, the world has woken up to Sehwag’s other talents. Specifically, his love for singing. It was Suresh Raina who first informed the world about the Nawab of Najagharh’s secret to success – the Delhi dasher was apaprently singing Kishore Kumar songs on the way to his record-breaking 219 in a ODI against West Indies in 2011.
Then the world got to hear it for themselves. At the All-Stars tournament held in the United States last year, Sehwag was nonchalantly singing a popular Hindi song while smashing former South African great Allan Donald for a six.
But as it turns out, Viru definitely has a post-cricket career as a Twitter comic artist. Because, he finds the most innovative ways to wish people on their birthday.
Here he is, giving James Anderson a fair indicator of his popularity in India.
Happy BdayJames Anderson @jimmy9 .Before u most popular Anderson here was Pamela Anderson.#ModernDayGreat pic.twitter.com/jvnn2ufPnd
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 30, 2016
Then he thanked singer Sonu Nigam who had unknowingly helped him craft a masterpiece.
Happy Bday @sonunigam ,Enjoyed singing many of ur songs while batting,"Ab mujhe Raat Din"when I scored165 vs SouthAfrica at EdenGardens,2010
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 30, 2016
But he needs a little bit more work on those puns.
O Ram Ji,ur bowling seemed like someone bowling from 2nd floor.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 28, 2016
Happy Bday Jacob Oram!
Mera piya ghar aaya ORamJi ! pic.twitter.com/yhTXLymB1U
Ok, maybe, not a little.
Happy Bday Sir Gary Sobers.The way u destroyed opposition with ur batting& bowling they wud hav never said u r Sober pic.twitter.com/Onh6CzTbPG
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 28, 2016
Offered without comment.
Her name is SereNa and she never says 'Na' to winning titles. #AbTohAadatSiHai saare Titles jeetne ki. #SerenaWilliams#Wimbledon2016
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 9, 2016
He’s also appeared on India’s questionably favourite comedy show, Comedy Nights with Kapil Sharma in 2004, with the normally staid Sunil Gavaskar.
It didn’t long for Indian Twitteratti though to speculate on the man whose path Virender Singh was following:
Is Sehwag is trying to fill the gap that Sidhu left vacant?
— Kris (@NayakNahi) July 28, 2016
@gradwolf so this is what made people say Sehwag became Sidhu?
— DRK (@lordlabak) July 28, 2016
So is that the Nawab of Najafgarh’s cunning new plan? To create his own brand of “Sehwag-isms”? And who knows, just like Navjot Singh Sidhu was rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat (from which he has currently resigned), we could even see Sehwag the politician.
But for now, let him work a little bit more on those puns.
A very happy birthday @KP24.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 27, 2016
When we used to play for Delhi,I always thought,
This KP will send the ball to CP 😃 pic.twitter.com/hRJWoUPiDW