I am not at all tensed about Indian Premier League auctions, says Virender Sehwag
Out-of-favour India opener Virender Sehwag was not retained by his Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Daredevils for the upcoming season.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: February 11, 2014 10:14 pm IST
All eyes will be on Virender Sehwag when the veteran star goes under the hammer for the Indian Premier League season seven auctions on Wednesday but the out-of-favour opener is not at all bothered about what kind of price he will command from the franchises. Is he tensed about the auction ? Sehwag answered in the manner he bats. "You mean tensed about how much money I will get," he said with a wry smile. (Click here for latest on IPL 2014)
"I have earned enough money and fame from the game to only think about financial aspects. I am not at all tensed about the auction or the price at which I will be bought. For me, what is important is to play cricket and IPL gives me a chance to do so," Sehwag told PTI during an interaction at his residential academic institution 'Sehwag International School'(SIS). (514 players to go under the hammer)
On whether he still enjoys the game, pat came the reply, "Of course, I am enjoying playing cricket. That's the reason that I have played a full season of Ranji Trophy cricket. I can tell you that after playing international cricket for so many years, it is very very difficult to come back and grind it out in domestic arena if you don't have love for the game." (IPL auction preview)
The 'Nawab of Najafgarh' then cited an example of how he played in the DY Patil T20 tournament just to keep himself match fit. "I went to Mumbai to play in the DY Patil T20 for a team. We lost in the quarter-finals or else I might have got to play an additional couple of matches (semi-final and final). Now why did I got there to play? Because I love the game and the hunger is still there." (Must read: Sehwag in the list of top valued players)
For someone whose game depended a lot on hand-eye co-ordination, there was a lot of speculation regarding Sehwag's eyesight once he started wearing spectacles at the start of the last season. "Well, Daniel Vettori has played all his life wearing spectacles and no one has questioned it. I wore spectacles because I was advised by the doctor. I was told that I had cylindrical power and if I wear glasses, it will only improve my eyesight and hence be helpful for my game. Had I not wore spectacles, I might have had headaches," Sehwag said. (Also read: Scared of watching my IPL auction, says Corey Anderson)
Sehwag's dream project 'SIS' has a beautiful cricket ground where Haryana's U-16 and U-19 teams play their board matches but he has some area where he wants to develop state of the art facility like the National Cricket Academy. "Just like we use the facilities at the NCA, if I can have a tie-up with a corporate organization who do a lot of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities, then I will have a full NCA-like structure with gym and other facilities. Right now, I don't have that much fund," Sehwag said. (Read about retained players)