Sportstar·India·Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 03:47 AM

Beyond the surname, Aaryavir Sehwag wants to learn and let the bat do the talking

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Shayan Acharya

The Sehwag name opens doors, but Aaryavir knows his cricket will have to take him further. | Photo Credit: Shayan Acharya

The Sehwag name opens doors, but Aaryavir knows his cricket will have to take him further. | Photo Credit: Shayan Acharya

Being Virender Sehwag’s son means the questions will always follow. Aaryavir Sehwag knows that. What matters to him is not letting those questions get in the way of his cricket.

The 18-year-old got a brief taste of senior-level cricket earlier this year, playing two matches for West Delhi Lions in the Delhi Premier League and scoring 24 runs.

His first India Under-19 assignment against Australia has given him plenty to think about. He has had starts, but not the big innings he wanted. He scored 28 in the first game, was run out for 47 in the second and got another start in the third before falling for 34.

“I couldn’t build a big innings in all three matches, despite getting starts. In the final game, I also got out trying to hit a six after a good start. So I was quite disappointed,” Aaryavir told Sportstar.

The disappointment, however, has also given him plenty to learn from.

“I’ve learnt that you have to divide the game into different phases and build long innings if you want to score big runs. If you want to make a name and earn respect in the cricket fraternity, big runs matter,” he added.

For someone at the beginning of his India U-19 journey, that may be the most important lesson of all. Aaryavir is also clear about how he wants to deal with the attention that comes with his surname.

“I am quite proud of my surname and my father’s achievements. I don’t feel any pressure or burden because of my father’s name. I am quite proud of what he has done for India,” he said.

He knows there will be days when opposition players try to use his surname against him, and he will have to learn to handle it without letting it affect his batting. In Rajkot, the Australians did exactly that.

Aaryavir, though, is determined not to let it distract him.

“I am trying to create a mindset where I tell myself that people’s comments are just their opinions and it doesn’t affect me much, whether they are good or bad, whether they are praising me or criticising me,” he said.

There was a lesson in that, too. He felt he had let the moment get the better of him when he tried to hit a six in the third game.

“I will try to keep a cool head and focus only on my process and my batting. That is better.”

The first match had not been straightforward either. Rain had kept the players waiting for four to five hours, and there were nerves when Aaryavir finally got his opportunity in a rain-curtailed T20 fixture.

“Honestly, the first match was quite broken up,” he said. “The rain lasted for four-five hours. So, obviously, there were nerves before my debut match. Then, because of the rain and everything, we had to sit around, and the body also cooled down quite a bit.”

A few boundaries settled him. “The Australian bowlers were bowling at good pace. I enjoyed playing against them, so obviously this increased my confidence,” he said.

By the second game, Aaryavir was trying to strip things back.

“I came into the second match thinking, ‘No, you know, I don’t have to complicate things.’ Under-19 India, India, Australia — I shouldn’t think about all these things. It is just a game between bat and ball, and I have to think about that.”

That is where his father’s advice has proved useful, too. Aaryavir did not even know his father was at the ground for his debut game until after he was dismissed. “After I returned to the pavilion, the team manager told me that my dad was watching me bat from the stands,” he said with a smile.

Later that evening, they spoke over the phone. “He (Sehwag) has just told me to play freely as much as possible, not think about anything and just play my game,” Aaryavir revealed.

His dad’s batting advice, he says, has always been simple.

“He always tells me that batting should be kept very simple: if there is a ball you can hit, hit it. If you can leave it, you should leave it. And if you have to defend it, you should defend it.”

Aaryavir Sehwag (right) and Vedant Sehwag with their coach Raju Sharma.

Aaryavir Sehwag (right) and Vedant Sehwag with their coach Raju Sharma. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Aaryavir has been training under Raju Sharma since childhood. He trains at Sehwag’s academy in R.K. Puram and also goes to various grounds in Delhi to find good wickets and bowlers to practise against.

The focus is increasingly moving towards the mental side of the game. “Dad tells me to focus more on the mental aspect than on technique because, obviously, there is so much being said on social media.”

Away from cricket, Aaryavir spends time with his close friends, younger brother Vedant and the dogs at home. He also plays table tennis and padel, although an ankle injury while playing the latter forced him to miss India U-19’s tour of Sri Lanka in July.

He also follows Indian cricket closely and counts Virat Kohli among his biggest influences. “I have been a very big fan of him (Kohli). I have met him two or three times, and it was a very good experience,” the youngster said.

Aaryavir had gone into those meetings with plenty he wanted to ask. When the moment came, though, he found himself unable to say much at all.

“When I actually got there, I couldn’t ask him much. I just went a little blank,” he said with a smile.

There is still plenty for Aaryavir to learn. He knows starts have to become bigger scores, that his surname will invite attention and that there will be days when the noise is louder than he would like.

For now, he is trying to keep his response simple. “I think shot selection is very important as a batter. The clearer I am in my mind, the better I can perform in matches,” he said.

Published on Sep 24, 2026

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