Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has heaped praise on Virender Sehwag, who was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame on Monday (November 13) alongside Diana Edulji and Aravinda de Silva.

During his illustrious career, Sehwag played 104 Tests, scoring 8,586 runs at an average of 49.34 with 23 hundreds, including two triple tons.

Sehwag aggregated 8,273 runs for India in ODIs and his 219 against the West Indies in Indore in 2011 remains the third-highest score achieved by any men's player in the 50-over format.

In an appreciation letter to Sehwag that was shared by the ICC, Ganguly lauded Sehwag for changing the dynamics of batting in Test cricket.

“What made you such a special player is the way you batted. You changed the dynamics of batting at the top in Test cricket.

“It was a different era back then. In the early 2000s, Test cricket was so strong with quality players all around the world, but you just completely changed the art of batting in Test matches,” Ganguly said.

The former BCCI president added, “An innings that proves that is your 293 against Sri Lanka in 2009. To score that many in a day of a Test against an attack including Muttiah Muralitharan just showed what you were capable of.

“You enjoyed playing all the different formats and while you were good at one-day cricket, I think you were even better in Tests.”

“You could do it in all conditions and your triple hundred in Multan remains one of my favourite innings. You hit a six to get to 200 and then did the same to get to 300 – and you had told us you were going to do it too!”

Ganguly said the ICC has “absolutely chosen the right person” to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, hailing his former teammate as a cricketing great and “probably the best opening batsman” after Sunil Gavaskar.

Ganguly also recalled how Sehwag made a strong comeback into the Indian team after failing to shine initially.

“When you came back into the side you were a middle-order batsman, you had never been an opener, but that soon changed.

“We gave you that responsibility because although we couldn’t find a place for you in the middle order, we knew a player of your ability could not sit and warm the benches.

“I remember when I told you that you should try opening, you were unsure because you had never done it. I believe no one is born to bat in any particular position and that you could do it because of the talent you possessed.”

(With PTI Inputs)