Rumors are going around the social media about the possible affair between the former cricketer and the current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, Mithun Manhas, and Aarti Ahlawat, who is the wife of the former Indian opening batter, Virender Sehwag. It has been reported that they got divorced at the start of the year and have unfollowed each other on Instagram.

Several sources claimed that they had been living separately for a long time, and now the gossip around Mithun Manhas’s relationship has added extra fuel to the burning fire. The news broke after the former Delhi batter became the new BCCI president, following the resignation of Roger Binny in August 2025.

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Many have referred to the incident of the 2009 controversy when the two former India and Tamil Nadu players, Dinesh Karthik and Murli Vijay, went through the same situation. In this case, many noticed that Sehwag and Aarti’s two sons, Aryavir and Vedant, follow Manhas on social media.

Know full story of how Virender Sehwag and his wife Aarti got divorced

A report came in February that Sehwag and Aarti got a divorce after 21 years of married life. The speculation started after the former right-handed opening batter didn’t post any pictures of his partner despite continuing the trend for a long time. In Diwali 2024, he posted the picture of his mother and two sons, and that was when everyone started to speculate.

Sehwag recently posted pictures of visiting the Vishwa Nagayakshi Temple in Palakkad, Kerala, where Aarti was missing. The last shared picture of his wife from Sehwag came in April 2023, which is nearly 19 months ago. None of them has given any statement on the incident, but this is likely to be the situation between them.

Mithun Manhas’s presence has given a new direction to the entire story. The news of their relationship came nearly seven months after the separation news broke out. Sehwag, who was known for his explosive batting for any side at the start of the innings, held his wedding at the former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s home.

On the day of October 10, 2025, former India opener Virendra Sehwag shared great news from his official 'X' account. Rahul Soreng, son of a Pulwama martyr jawan and a student of Virendra Sehwag's cricket academy, is selected for the Under-19 Haryana team. 

Rahul Soreng has been with Sehwag's academy since 2019. Last year in December, the Haryana prodigy was selected for the Haryana Under-16 team in the prestigious Vijay Merchant Trophy. Now, he is picked for the state's under-19team. The former India cricketer shares his news with great joy. 

"Congratulations to Rahul Soreng on being selected for the under-19 Haryana team. Since his brave father attained martyrdom in Pulwama, it has been my privilege to support Rahul, and I am extremely proud of his journey," Sehwag said. 

Congratulations to Rahul Soreng on being selected in the under-19 Haryana team.
Since his brave father attained martyrdom in Pulwama, it has been my privilege to support Rahul and i am extremely proud of his journey. pic.twitter.com/J9USNWKID7

— Virrender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) October 10, 2025

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After the tragic Pulwama incident, the brave son of Vijay Soreng was offered free education to children of martyrs in Sehwag International School with boarding facilities. The opportunity to support a son of a national hero was one of the happiest feelings in life, as described by Sehwag. 

For more than 5 years, Rahul has been with Sehwag International School 

"This is one of the happiest feelings in life. After the tragic Pulwama attack, I had made an appeal to offer free education to children of our martyr’s study in my Sehwag International School with boarding facilities. I feel so privileged that Rahul Soreng, son of Pulwama Martyr Shaheed Vijay Soreng ji, who joined Sehwag International School in 2019 and has been staying with us for the last 5 years," the former cricketer said when Rahul was selected for the U16 Vijay Merchant Trophy Haryana team. 

According to a news report, Rahul Soreng was a class 4 student when he first joined Sehwag International School; now he is a class 10 student and has represented Haryana in various age group stages. 

India’s new Test series in whites began against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and KL Rahul rose to the occasion with a composed century on Day 2 of the opening Test. His knock gave solidity to India’s batting display.

Resuming his innings on 53 overnight, Rahul batted with patience and precision, converting his start into three figures. He reached the milestone in style, flicking West Indies skipper Roston Chase through mid-wicket. Rahul went into the lunch break unbeaten on 100, showcasing calm control and sound technique against spin and pace alike.

However, his stay ended soon after lunch. In the very first over of the second session, he attempted an uppish drive off Jomel Warrican but was caught at cover. Rahul finished with exactly 100 runs from 197 deliveries, laced with 12 crisp boundaries. It marked his 11th Test century overall, and notably, his 10th while opening the innings.

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India’s Test Openers with 10 or More Centuries:

With that in mind, here’s a look at the four Indian batters who have achieved the milestone of scoring 10 or more Test centuries as openers. Each of them has consistently delivered at the top, playing crucial knocks and setting strong foundations for Team India in the longest format of the game.

• Sunil Gavaskar (33 Centuries)

Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketing icons, featured in 125 Test matches, accumulating 10,122 runs at an impressive average of 51.12. He struck 34 centuries and 45 fifties, with 33 of those tons coming as an opener. In 119 Tests at the top, he recorded 9,607 runs at an average of 50.29.

His highest score as an opener was a memorable 221 against England at The Oval in 1979, where he almost guided India to a historic chase of 438. Other standout knocks included 220 against the West Indies in Port of Spain (1971) and 205 at Wankhede (1978). Out of his 33 hundreds as opener, 15 came at home and 18 overseas.

Interestingly, Gavaskar’s career-best score of 236* was his only Test double-century not made as an opener. Batting at No. 4 against the West Indies in Chennai (1983), he produced the marathon innings after India lost two early wickets without scoring.

• Virender Sehwag (22 centuries)

Virender Sehwag, the explosive former Indian opener, featured in 104 Test matches, scoring 8,586 runs at an average of 49.34. He registered 23 centuries and 32 fifties, with 98 of his matches spent opening the innings. Except for his debut century against South Africa in Bloemfontein (2001), all his other tons came as an opener.

Sehwag’s highest score was 319 against South Africa in Chennai (2008). He also recorded 309 versus Pakistan in Multan (2004) and 293 against Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium (2009). Known for his aggressive batting, he crossed 200 runs six times in Tests, producing match-defining innings on multiple occasions.

Of his 22 centuries as an opener, 13 were at home and nine abroad. Memorable overseas hundreds include 195 in Melbourne (2003), 106 in Nottingham (2002), and 151 in Adelaide (2008), showcasing his ability to dominate in challenging conditions.

• Murali Vijay (12 centuries)

Murali Vijay, often underrated, featured in 61 Test matches for India between 2008 and 2018, scoring 3,982 runs at an average of 38.28. He registered 12 centuries and 15 fifties, opening the innings in 57 matches, with all his big scores coming while opening the batting.

Vijay’s highest Test score was 167 against Australia in Hyderabad in 2013. Notably, four of his 12 hundreds came against the Aussies. Other standout innings include 139 in Bengaluru (2010), 153 in Mohali (2013), and 144 in Brisbane (2014). He was also unfortunate to be dismissed for 99 in Adelaide in 2014.

Of his 12 Test centuries, nine came on home soil and three abroad. In addition to his 144 in Brisbane, he scored 146 against England in Nottingham (2014) and 150 versus Bangladesh in Fatullah (2015), highlighting his ability to perform in diverse conditions.

• KL Rahul (10 centuries)

KL Rahul is featuring in his 54th Test as an opener. Across 94 innings in this role, he has amassed 3,435 runs at an average of 37.74, including 10 centuries and 16 fifties. His highest score of 199 came against England in Chennai in December 2016. Notably, eight of his ten hundreds as an opener have come in away matches.

Rahul has been particularly successful in England, scoring four centuries: 149 at The Oval (2018), 137 in Leeds (2025), 129 at Lord’s (2021), and 100 at Lord’s (2025). Other memorable tons include 123 against South Africa in Centurion (2021) and 110 against Australia in Sydney (2015).

His only Test century while batting lower down the order came against South Africa in Centurion during the 2023 Boxing Day Test. Batting at No. 6, he scored 101 off 137 balls, including 14 fours and four sixes, though India lost the match by an innings and 32 runs.

The young and dynamic left-handed opening batter of the Indian side, Abhishek Sharma, has been impressive in this Asia Cup 2025, and he continued the same aggressive batting against Pakistan during the Super 4 stage at the Dubai International Stadium during their 172-run chase. Along with him, Shubman Gill also contributed with 47 runs in 28 balls at a strike rate of 167.86. 

The former opening batter of India, Virender Sehwag, has given priceless advice to Abhishek after the latter’s knock of 74 runs in 39 balls at a strike rate of 189.74, shouldering on six boundaries and five over-boundaries.

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“Many, many congratulations, and I would say whenever you reach seventy, don’t miss out on converting it into a hundred. Because this is something Sunil Gavaskar once told me — when you retire, you’ll think back about those innings where you got out on seventy or eighty.” Sehwag expressed during an interaction on Sony Sports Network.

Watch: Virender Sehwag shares priceless advice to Abhishek Sharma after IND vs PAK victory

Abhishek has smashed 708 T20I runs in 20 innings at a strike rate of 197.21 with three fifties and two centuries. Later, when the presenter claimed that Yuvraj Singh would also call Abhishek to reveal the same plan and advise the left-handed batter after the end of the clash.

Viru's suggestion for Abhishek to convert 70s to 100s. pic.twitter.com/xK6X3PXWSu

— Harishwar Reddy (@ReddyMnc16) September 21, 2025

“If only I had converted those, I might have ended up with so many more centuries in my career. These opportunities don’t come again and again. When you’re batting well, on the day that it’s your day, try to finish unbeaten — that’s always better. Keep that in mind.” Sehwag addressed this in the same interaction.

“That’s 100 percent certain, because he always says — when you’ve hit a six, then give the other guy a chance to hit too. I’m working on that.” Abhishek concluded. India’s next Super 4 fixture will now happen against Bangladesh on September 24 at the Dubai International Stadium. With the win over Pakistan, they have taken a huge step towards the final qualification of the Asia Cup 2025.

Phil Salt's whirlwind unbeaten 141-run innings shattered multiple records in international cricket. It was now a natural side in everyday cricket. Even in the era of limited overs cricket, Salt's record-breaking knock was something else. Over the years the world of cricket witnessed numerous swashbuckling batters, including Virender Sehwag. Sehwag in his prime was a monster with a bat. Against some of the dangerous bowlers, he just loved to toy with them with minimal footwork. If we compare these two openers from two different generations, who will emerge as better in terms of stats? Let's find out. 

Virender Sehwag:

One of the most attacking openers Indian cricket ever had. From the beginning to the end, he preferred to drive in only top gear. Even in the 'nervous 90s,' when most batters chose to play with extra caution, Sehwag, without any hesitation, often hoisted the balls for maximum or at least for boundaries. Whether it was limited overs cricket or Test matches, the Delhi-born maintained his fearless approach while batting, especially against spinners. Hailing from Najafgarh, he started his career as a middle-order batter and was then promoted to the opening spot.

For this article, we have to put aside his Test career stats, including his milestone 319-run knock, as Phil Salt is yet to discover himself in the format. In One Day Internationals, Sehwag concluded his career with a batting average of slightly over 35 after playing 251 matches. In the 50-over format, he accumulated 8273 runs in total, powered by a double century. In T20Is, he played only 19 games and scored 394 runs, which took the batting average to 21.88 with a couple of half centuries. 

ODI CAREER:

Read More: WATCH: 0 for 2! Sri Lanka put Bangladesh in deep trouble during BAN vs SL Asia Cup 2025 match

Phil Salt

The England opener established himself as a limited-over cricketer. The unbeaten 141-run innings marked his best in T20Is. In 45 T20Is, the right-handed batter smashed 1334 runs at a batting average of 37.05, powered by four hundreds and five fifties. In ODIs, the opener, as of now, notched five 50s and a single 100. In 33 One Day International games, the batter scored 988 runs in total in 33 matches. 

ODI CAREER

The 2025 Delhi Premier League (DPL) final at Arun Jaitley Stadium not only provided a tense cricketing contest, but the overall spectacle was elevated by one significant moment. While fans enjoyed West Delhi Lions dominating Central Delhi Kings to win the trophy, perhaps the best moment on that day was former India opener Virender Sehwag enjoying a jovial bonding moment with his son Aryavir.

The social media platforms were inundated with various videos and pictures of Sehwag and Aryavir from early in the final. Sehwag, an absolute legend of the game, at times was shown chatting and laughing with Aryavir, bringing a human element to an otherwise intense atmosphere, and reminding fans, albeit briefly, of the emotional authenticity cricket can provide. Sehwag, who also happens to be the brand ambassador for DPL, looked visibly proud side-by-side with Aryavir.

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Cricket, legacy, and emotions shine in the DPL 2025 final

Interestingly, Aryavir had played earlier in the tournament for Central Delhi Kings against East Delhi Riders, which was likely part of Sehwag's excitement that he experienced firsthand. Much like Sehwag, Aryavir batted with power, scoring 22 runs off 16 balls and featuring four nice boundaries while doing so. Although the Kings won that match easily by 62 runs, to the surprise of everyone, Aryavir was missing from the final XI in the match against West Delhi Lions.

Watch the video:

A reel full of love & legacy! ❤️🏏

Virender Sehwag | Delhi Premier League 2025 | DPL 2025 | #AdaniDPL2025 #DPL2025 #DPL #Cricket #Delhi pic.twitter.com/wrHBtY5ntq

— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 31, 2025

The final itself was a nail-biting contest. Central Delhi Kings, led by Yugal Saini's 65 and Pranshu Vijayran's unbeaten 50, set a decent target of 173 in 20 overs, but it was not enough against a determined West Delhi Lions team. Captain Nitish Rana, playing a captain's knock, scored 79 runs off only 49 balls, with Ritik Shaukeen's contribution of 42 off 27 balls meant that the Lions completed their chase in the 19th over. The Lions won by six wickets, with Rana winning the honours for Player of the Match with his brilliant innings.

In addition to the cricket meaning of the night, legendary Indian cricketers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were recognised by DDCA President Rohan Jaitley for their services to Indian cricket. This was met with huge applause from the crowd as two of the southbast's best cricketing sons were recognised together.

In the end, the DPL 2025 final was about much more than cricket. It was a night of legacy, it was poignant, and it was the passing of the baton from one generation to the next. While the West Delhi Lions took home the silverware, the moment of Sehwag sharing a bond with Aryavir, a childhood hero for Aryavir, will be held equally dear by cricketing fans as the result.

In the ongoing Delhi Premier League 2025, former India cricketer, Virender Sehwag’s son, Aaryavir Sehwag debuted for Central Delhi Kings. In his very first game of DPL, Aaryavir looked in good touch and scored 22 off 16 balls. He smashed four boundaries before falling for Rounak Waghela. Thanks to his innings, CDK scored 46 runs in the powerplay. Aaryavir opened the innings alongside Kaushal Suman and stitched a 25 run stand for the first wicket.

Aaryavir batter with a strike rate of 137.5 to mark his first outing in the DPL. On the back of Yugal Saini’s 52 off 32 and Jasvir Sehrawat’s 37 off 35, CDK went onto post 155 runs on the board losing six wicket in the process. When East Delhi Riders came out to bat, they were treated with some impeccable bowling performance by Money Grewal. Grewal picked fifer and EDR succumbed scoring just 93 runs as EDK won the game by 62 runs.

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Watch Aaryavir’s batting here:

🚨 AARYAVIR SEHWAG DEBUT 🚨

- Virender Sehwag’s son Aaryavir Sehwag scored 22(16) on his Delhi Premier League Debut. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IomoKPRv9Y

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 27, 2025

Central Delhi Kings Squad:

Yash Dhull, Kaushal Suman(w), Yugal Saini, Jonty Sidhu(c), Aditya Bhandari, Aryan Rana, Simarjeet Singh, Jasvir Sehrawat, Tejas Baroka, Money Grewal, Gavinsh Khurana, Arun Pundir, Yamit Sehrawat, Rishi Sharma, Harshit Sethi, Nikhil Malik, Sampooran Tripathi, Siddharth Joon, Aaryavir Sehwag, Vivek Kumar Tiwary, Aarnav Koul, Sumit Chhikara, Pranshu Vijayran

Virender Sehwag is one of the most dreaded opener on the cricket field. The former India opener, has been the lawnmower on the field whenever he opened the innings for the Indian team. He batted with the same intent and agile across formats which made him one of the few in his era who batted at a strike rate of above 100 in all phases of the game.

The veteran has now picked players for the particular shots. For the cover drive, he chose the legendary batter, Virat Kohli who made this as his trademark shot. Helicopter shot was invented by legendary captain, MS Dhoni and Sehwag gave away its rights to Dhoni. Straight drive was not played better than anyone else than Sachin Tendulkar. Sehwag chose Tendulkar for this shot.

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Reverse sweep was provided to AB de Villiers and pull shot was handed over to Rohit Sharma. Sehwag chose the uppercut shot for himself and the forward defence was claimed by Rahul Dravid. He chose Kohli again for the flick shot and the hook shot was given away to legendary captain, Ricky Ponting.

VIRENDER SEHWAG PICKS PLAYERS FOR THESE SHOT WHO PLAYS BEST: (DPLT20).

Cover Drive - Kohli.
Helicopter - Dhoni.
Straight Drive - Sachin.
Reverse Sweep - ABD. 
Pull shot - Rohit.
Upper Cut - Sehwag.
Forward Defence - Dravid.
Hook shot - Ponting.
Flick shot - Kohli.

The former Indian opening batter Virender Sehwag’s older son, Aaryavir, was bought for a huge price of INR 8 lakh by Central Delhi Kings during the 2025 season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL). At the age of just 18, the batter is already a part of the under-19 side of the Delhi state team. 

Aaryavir picked his favorite player in a ‘This or That’ game on the sidelines of the DPL 2025. He was given the choice to choose between the Indian Test captain, Shubman Gill, and the T20I opener of the side, Abhishek Sharma, to which the youngster picked the former. Gill stayed ahead of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, and Sanju Samson.

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Moreover, Gill was picked over the former Indian captain, MS Dhoni, who won the T20 World Cup 2007 in South Africa, the home ODI World Cup 2011, and later the Champions Trophy 2013 in England. Aaryavir picked the Punjab-born ahead of Rohit Sharma, who won the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America.

Watch: Virender Sehwag’s son picks Virat Kohli over Sachin Tendulkar in ‘This or That’ game

The 17-year-old later selected Virat Kohli over Gill and kept Kohli over the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. He addressed the Delhi batter as the greatest batter of the era and also expressed his long-time wish to feature with the veteran in the IPL in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

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“If it were retired players, then Sachin Tendulkar, but I would go for Virat Kohli as he is my era's greatest batsman. My dream is to share the dressing room with Virat Kohli if I get an opportunity to play this soon in the IPL.” Aaryavir expressed to Inside Sport.

One of the notable performances of the batter is his 297 runs during the 2024-25 Cooch Behar Trophy, which was the highest individual score of that season. Against Manipur, he also impressed on his U-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy debut in 2024 with 49 runs. His Central Deli Kings side has played eight games in DPL 2025 to win five and is second on the table.

The Indian squad for the Asia cup 2025 was announced on August 19. A 15 member squad was announced that had a mix of young talent and veterans. The likes of Shubman Gill, Harshit Rana and Rinku Singh made a come back into the squad. At the same time, there were apprehensions from the fans as many of the players missed out from the 15 member squad. The likes of Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out from the squad, and this followed a huge uproar on social media regarding their snub.

Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has putforth his opinion on the squad. He has said that the new Indian squad has a mix of young talent and experience. He also showered praises on India captain Suryakumar Yadav. He added that Surya has a fearless mindset and has an attacking approach which will play a huge role in India winning the Asia 2025.

Read More: “I regretted not using the DRS.”- Sachin Tendulkar advised against review, Rahul Dravid later regretted decision

"This Indian team has the right mix of youth and experience, and under Surya's fearless leadership, they can dominate Asia once again. His attacking mindset suits the T20 format perfectly, and if the team plays with the same intent, I have no doubt India can lift the trophy," Sehwag said on Sony Sports Network.

India will play Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025

For the unversed, Asia cup will commence on September 9. India are placed in group alongside Pakistan, UAE and Oman. India will play Pakistan on September 14 at the Dubai Internation Stadium in Dubai. This fixture has drawn a lot of flak from the fans as they are calling Indian team to walk away from the game on the back of growing geopolitical tensions between the two countries.

India squad for Asia Cup: 

Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh