Rajeev Shukla Shares How Sachin Tendulkar Stopped John Wright from Apologizing to Sehwag

India has witnessed an intriguing revelation from BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla regarding a fiery incident between Virender Sehwag, John Wright, and Sachin Tendulkar in the early 2000s. At that time, Shukla was serving as India’s manager, and the controversy revolved around Wright, who had grabbed Sehwag by the collar in the dressing room out of frustration.

Sehwag was criticized for his casual batting approach during an ODI series against England, especially after repeatedly playing lofted shots despite failing to score well. He said:

When the Virender Sehwag incident happened, India coach John Wright pushed him. Sehwag was very sad and said that he pushed me, and he was almost crying. Everyone decided, the players, to demand John Wright apologize to Sehwag. I agreed and went to his room, telling him that his mandate wasn’t to touch or push players. He understood, but he was under pressure from everyone to demand an apology. So, Sachin took me to a corner and told me that if I made John Wright apologize, Wright would lose his authority over his players. He would always give sensible advice, and then I made Sehwag understand. Then he himself said that Wright doesn’t need to apologize.

The incident caused tension, and the Indian players, including Sourav Ganguly, demanded that Wright apologize to Sehwag. However, Sachin Tendulkar, known for his leadership qualities, advised Shukla against pursuing an apology from Wright. Tendulkar warned that forcing Wright to apologize would undermine the coach’s authority over the team.

Later, Sehwag understood Wright’s intentions, as Wright explained his actions were driven by a fatherly concern for Sehwag’s improvement. Eventually, Sehwag agreed that no apology was necessary, thanks to Tendulkar’s sensible advice, which helped defuse the situation. This moment is a testament to Tendulkar’s leadership and maturity, both on and off the field.