Virender Sehwag, nicknamed ‘Viru’, is an international cricketer, who is known for his aggressive right-hand batting style. He was born to Mr.Krishan and his wife Krishna Sehwag on October 20, 1978 in Delhi, India and has three siblings. Virender Sehwag got married to Aarti Alhawat in April 2004 and they have a son born on October 18, 2007.

Virender Sehwag made his Test match debut in 2001 as a middle-order batsman for the Indian team against South Africa with a century to his name, scoring 105. After home series in 2001-02 against England and Zimbabwe, Virender Sehwag was promoted up the order to open the innings in the 2002 England tour and he remained in the order ever since. During the 2002-03 season, he scored his maiden home century of 147 against West Indies, earning his first Man of the Match award and on December 26, 2003 test match against Australia, he scored 195. In 2004, Virender Sehwag scored the first ever triple century by an Indian with 309 runs against Pakistan, earning the Man of the Match award and later, the Man of the Series award. The same year, he scored 155 against Australia in Chennai and 164 in the First Test of the series against South Africa and 88 in the second, claiming the Man of the Series award once again. At the 2005 three-match Test series against Pakistan, Virender Sehwag scored a total of 544 runs at an average of 90.66, and he went on to cross 3000 runs becoming the fastest Indian to reach it in terms of innings played. For his performance in the earlier 12-months period, Virender Sehwag got selected in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Team of the Year and also got nominated for the Test Player of the Year award. He captained the side in the third Test match of a series against Sri Lanka in the absence of Rahul Dravid, leading the team to victory.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took over the reins of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) from Congress after he waselected as its president in the Annual General Meeting of the body.

“At the AGM held at the Motera stadium here, Modi was elected the president while Gujarat Minister of state for Home Amit Shah was elected vice-president of GCA,” sources in the GCA said.

With this win in GCA, Modi is set to enter cricket administration like other politicians including former BCCI chief Sharad Pawar and his own party leader Arun Jaitely, who is currently heading Delhi and District Cricket Association.

GCA was controlled by Congress leader Narhari Amin. But Modi’s Home Minister Amit Shah was engaged in long drawn political as well as legal battle with Amin group for the last one and half year for the control of cash rich GCA.

Indian ace Pankaj Advani beat defending champion Mark Russel to win the World Professional Billiards Championship-2009.

Advani beat the defending champion 2030-1253.

Advani became the second Indian to win the title in its 139th years of history; Geet Sethi was the first Indian to win the title in 1992.

Earlier, Advani notched up a thrilling win over compatriot Dhruv Sitwala in the semi-final to set up the title clash.

In the other semifinal, compatriot Rupesh Shah squandered a first session lead and succumbed to his elementary mistakes to go down 880-1366 against nine time-winner Russel.

Geet Sethi crashed out of the World professional billiards championship in a league match.

In a must-win last league match for both players, the Indian lost to compatriot and IBSF World billiards champion Pankaj Advani 482-818.

Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza notched up a rare double for India at the US Open by advancing to the second round of the season’s last Grand Slam with contrasting opening wins at the Flushing Meadows.

While Sania opened with a roller-coaster 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over Olga Govortsova of Belarus in women’s singles, qualifier Somdev got the better of Portugal’s Frederico Gil 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in the men’s competition.

The 162nd-ranked Somdev will take on German 23rd seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who defeated Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-0, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round.
The 74th-ranked Sania also has a tough match at hand against old nemesis Italian 10th seed Flavia Pennetta.

“I’m really happy we have two players in the second round of a Grand Slam. Things are looking up,” Sania said after her win.

Somdev, meanwhile, said the scoreline might show a straight-set win but he had to toil hard on the court.

“I really dug in there, didn’t get tight. I competed well. That’s what gets you through those tough ones – the way you compete,” he said.

Somdev played a solid service game in the contest which lasted more than two hours, breaking his rival seven times.

“I don’t want to jinx myself but I feel good about where I am. I’ve had a couple of quality wins. It gives me a lot of confidence and belief that I can come out and compete with anyone. My game is up there with the rest,” he said.

Sania, on the other hand, had to fight it out harder but was helped by her opponent’s weak serve and unforced errors.

The Indian ace broke her rival seven times and served marginally better to come through in the match that lasted close to two hours.