Sehwag junior arrives! Aaryavir Sehwag smashes boundaries for fun

NEW DELHI: Big moment for the Sehwag household—Virender Sehwag’s elder son Aaryavir took his first step into competitive senior cricket with a debut in the Delhi Premier League (DPL). Turning out for Central Delhi Kings, the 17-year-old walked out to open the batting, a role his father so famously excelled in for India.The teenager began cautiously, managing just a single from his first four deliveries. But soon, he found rhythm against international pacer Navdeep Saini. Aaryavir struck back-to-back boundaries in the same over, the first a crisp drive through deep extra cover, followed by another between extra cover and long-off. Those strokes briefly lit up the innings, offering glimpses of his natural timing and confidence.In the over bowled by Rounak Waghela, he repeated the feat, dispatching two consecutive boundaries. However, his promising start was cut short in the same over, when he mistimed a shot and offered a catch to Mayank Rawat. Aaryavir departed for 22 runs off 16 balls, but the cameo was enough to draw attention to his fearless approach on debut.Away from the field, Aaryavir also shared a cherished childhood memory connected with his father’s playing days. In a video recently posted by Delhi Capitals on social media, he recalled how he once missed seeing his father bat in the IPL because of Delhi’s notorious traffic.“Earliest memory... I feel that all the matches that used to happen in Delhi, we used to go watch those matches mostly. Especially when dad used to play for Delhi Daredevils,” Aaryavir said. “My first memory is that Dad was playing in Delhi. Unfortunately, he got out very early, even before we were able to reach the stadium. There’s a lot of traffic in Delhi during the IPL and he got out before we could reach the stadium.”Though a humorous recollection, the incident also underscored the admiration he carries for his father. Growing up in a cricketing environment, he and his younger brother often played with plastic bats and balls, inspired by watching Sehwag in action. “From childhood, I had the habit of playing with plastic bat and ball. Me and my brother, we played a lot of cricket growing up, because that’s what we saw, seeing dad play,” he shared.Now, as he takes his first steps in professional cricket, Aaryavir admits his perspective has changed. “As I am playing professional cricket for the last 2-3 years, I am slowly understanding what kind of player my dad was,” he reflected.He also recalled one of Sehwag’s favourite sayings: “Ghar ki murgi dal barabar” (Home-cooked chicken seems as good as dal). But Aaryavir politely disagreed. “It’s not like that. As I’m playing, I’m understanding a lot about him and how great of a player he was. I really idolize him. Watching him, you feel that the things he’s done aren’t easy. I get a lot of inspiration and motivation from him.”Sehwag’s own career remains etched in Indian cricket history. Known for his fearless strokeplay, he was the first Indian to score a triple century in Tests and once held the record for the highest individual score in ODIs. For Aaryavir, carrying forward the Sehwag legacy has only just begun.