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Speaking at an event in New Delhi on Friday, where he was revealed as the Brand Ambassador for the inaugural Delhi Premier League (DPL), Sehwag acknowledged that the allure and financial viability of T20 cricket are strong attractors for young players.
Sehwag highlighted the evolving nature of Test cricket by referencing England’s current style of playing Test matches, where they score at a rate of five runs per over. He reminisced about how Australia scored at four runs per over during his own playing days. He emphasized his belief in the value of attacking play in Test matches, saying it presents more opportunities to secure wins for the team.
“The manner in which England is playing Test cricket, scoring at five runs an over. In our playing days, Australia used to score at 4 runs per over. I have always believed that if you can attack, then you give your team more chances to win the Test matches,” Sehwag was quoted as saying by PTI.
When questioned about the potential of numerous T20 leagues diverting youngsters’ focus away from red-ball cricket, Sehwag mentioned his personal experience with his 17-year-old son, who has played three-day cricket for Delhi U16. He noted that without the presence of IPL during his own youth, the aspirations then were different compared to now when youngsters have the IPL and DPL as platforms.
“Look, my elder son is 17 and he played three-day cricket for Delhi U16 but there are a lot of boys who might be waiting for that opportunity. When we were 18, there was no IPL. But, now, a youngster might think of playing IPL, and DPL gives you that opportunity,” he mentioned.
Sehwag further explained his outlook on aggressive gameplay benefiting Test cricket by saying, “So, if anyone develops an aggressive game that can suit Test cricket, then why not? After all, we would like people to come and watch Tests.”
Addressing his own aggressive style of play in Test cricket even before the start of IPL, Sehwag responded humorously when asked about his approach. “Was it good or bad? I scored a triple ton in 270-odd balls. Today’s kid might score 400 if they play that many balls,” he quipped.
His son, Aaryavir, will be participating in the DPL T20 draft. The league features six teams: Central Delhi Kings, East Delhi Riders, North Delhi Strikers, Purani Delhi 6, South Delhi Superstars, and West Delhi Lions.
Highlighting the presence of notable players, Sehwag mentioned that Rishabh Pant, depending on his availability, would be a major attraction. Other significant names include Ishant Sharma, Harshit Rana, Navdeep Saini, and Ayush Badoni.
The league divided players into four categories with a marquee A group player’s salary set at Rs 10 lakh. The winner of the league will receive a Rs 1 crore cheque. DDCA president Rohan Jaitley confirmed that the matches would be aired live on a leading OTT platform and would include DRS with Hawk Eye technology.
On the subject of anti-corruption measures, Jaitley assured, “There will be zero tolerance with regards to corruption. The BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit will be working and the BCCI guidelines regarding code of conduct will be followed.”
