Young cricketers interact with Virendra Sehwag in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 15: Virender Sehwag took guard on a different pitch here today, but the excitement of his admirers was no different from what one gets to see every time he walks out to bat for Team India.

Viru, as he is known in the Team India dressing room, was here to inaugurate the renovated ground of the 50-year-old Pragati Sporting Club that has produced several popular cricketers from the state.

Once on the ground, Sehwag, true to his style, did not take time to settle down as he interacted with aspiring cricketers. Answering the first question fired at him with gusto, Sehwag said the game was more important for him than individual records.

Before the interactive session, young kids from different cricket clubs surrounded the star cricketer for autographs and he obliged with a smile. He encouraged the youngsters and also appreciated the contribution of various sports enthusiasts who helped the renovation of the club.

“Any game, not only cricket, needs support and encouragement of the enthusiasts to develop. I heard from my friend Shiv Sundar Das that there was no turf wicket or bowling machine in cricket clubs in Odisha. In fact, it is a rarity to have such facilities in most clubs in the country,” he said.

Former Indian U-19 captain Ranjib Biswal introduced Sehwag as a coach’s nightmare. “He has never followed any advice from any coach. He believes in hitting the ball in his style. Sharing the dressing room with him as a team administrator was a joyful experience,” said Biswal.

Biswal wondered why Sachin Tendulkar always look dead serious when he walks into the field, while Sehwag is just the opposite. He asked the fearsome opener how he manages to sing as he walks out to bat.

The master hitter’s reply sent everyone over the ropes. “I always visualise the game in the mind and prepare my action on the pitch. Once I am mentally prepared by visualising the game, I have no fear and am ready to take on the challenges,” he said.

When a fan asked why he was not upset on missing a century in the 2010 Asia Cup, Sehwag said he was happy his innings helped the team win.

After a very short speech and interaction, the cricketer fielded deliveries from a UK-made bowling machine on the new turf imported from New Zealand.