The first-ever auction of the IPL marked the beginning of the tournament to become a major event in the years ahead, though the league was met with doubts due to the auction process. Virender Sehwag, one of the major figures from the inaugural season of the Indian Premiere League, reminisced about the players’ reactions when they were initially informed of the auction. While they were in Australia on the 2007/08 tour, Gavaskar and Shastri were the first to bring up the auction concept. Sehwag recalled, “It feels like we have grown up since then. I will never forget the day we were briefed for the first time.” The auction happened on February 20th, 2008.
The Nawab of Najafgarh stated that when Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri came to Australia and asked them to surrender the rights of what later became the Indian Premier League, they were unsure if it would be a success or not. They were assured that they would benefit far more than they had been while acknowledging that they wouldn’t have known the magnitude of the opportunity before them. He also noted that they didn’t imagine it would create a platform that eventually replaced them.
Delhi Daredevils Signing Virender Sehwag For The Inaugural Season Of IPL
Sehwag led the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) for two seasons before stepping down and passing over to Gautam Gambhir. He did not win a trophy in the eight years he played in the IPL.
As a result of his move to Kings XI Punjab, now known as Punjab Kings, he reached the final in 2014. In his IPL career, he played 104 matches and scored 2728 runs at an average of 27.56 and a strike rate of 155.44. He also scored 16 half-centuries and two centuries.
