Indian batting legend Virender Sehwag has sparked a wave of outrage across social media following a recent interview where he recounted the blunt instructions he gave to his former opening partner, Manan Vohra. The anecdote, which dates back to their time representing Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in the Indian Premier League, has left many cricket enthusiasts questioning the veteran’s approach to teamwork and mentorship. Sehwag revealed that he specifically told Vohra to stop attempting to compete with him during the powerplay, suggesting the younger batter’s sole responsibility was to rotate the strike.
The “Use Your Brain” Controversy
During a panel discussion on Cricbuzz, Sehwag recalled the dynamic between the two openers, noting that Vohra often tried to match his aggressive scoring rate. Sehwag explained his perspective on the matter:
“Main ek baar opening karta tha Manan Vohra ke saath. Toh Manan Vohra compete karte the mere saath. Main unko samjhata tha ki compete mat kijiye. Aapka sirf kaam hai strike mujhe dena. Aapka kaam woh nahi hai ki powerplay istemaal karein. Woh main kar lunga. But aap mujhe strike toh dein! Toh agar saari ballein aap kheloge toh phir main kya karunga powerplay mein? (I used to open the batting with Manan Vohra. He would try to compete with me. I made him understand that his job wasn’t to exploit the powerplay, that was my job. I told him to just give me the strike so I could bat in the powerplay.)”
The legendary opener went further, implying that Vohra needed to be more strategic with his intelligence on the field.
“Aankde kharab hain lekin dimaag kharab nahi hona chahiye. Toh mind ka istemaal karein, bhagwan ne buddhi di hai toh ek run lein aur strike dein jiska strike rate 200 ka hai (Stats might be bad, but your mindset shouldn’t be. Use your brain. God has given you intelligence. Give the strike to the player who has a 200 strike rate.)”
Polarized Fan Reactions
The comments quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism from fans who contrasted Sehwag’s tone with the perceived grace of contemporaries like Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid. Critics on X argued that such public remarks diminish the respect Sehwag earned during his career. Conversely, a segment of the audience defended the “Nawab of Najafgarh,” arguing that his no-nonsense focus on maximizing team runs was statistically sound. One supporter noted that if an opener is paired with a legend, their role should naturally be the “support act.”
A Look Back at the Partnership
Sehwag and Vohra opened together during the 2014 IPL and Champions League T20 (CLT20) seasons. Their most prolific outing occurred against the Northern Knights in the CLT20, where they shared a 102-run stand. In that match, Vohra actually outscored Sehwag, blasting 65 off 32 balls compared to Sehwag’s 52 off 37. Vohra remained a staple of the Punjab franchise until 2017 before moving on to stints with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajasthan Royals, and eventually Lucknow Super Giants.
