Former India opener Virender Sehwag, now hosting the streaming reality show 'Rise & Fall' Season 2, has addressed a long-standing misconception about his batting approach during his celebrated opening partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. Speaking at a promotional event in Mumbai on 29 September, Sehwag said he was not always the all-guns-blazing batter that popular memory paints him as.

Setting the Record Straight

'It's not that I always played aggressively in sports, I also played defensively there. I have also played with negative surroundings,' Sehwag said during the promotions. The clarification challenges decades of cricketing folklore that cast him as an instinctive, uninhibited stroke-maker who never paused to think. Sehwag maintained that he adapted his game to the demands of each situation, much like any seasoned professional.

Sehwag and Tendulkar were widely regarded as the most explosive opening pair of their era, regularly putting opposition attacks to the sword and setting up victories for Team India. Yet, according to Sehwag himself, that fearlessness was always calibrated — not unconditional.

How He Plans to Handle Contestants

When asked how his on-field experience would translate to managing the show's contestants, Sehwag drew a candid parallel. 'I have a little experience in that as I have dealt with unruly players as the opponents. But the experience of people is that we meet everyday, somebody is aggressive, somebody is polite, somebody talks angrily. So, we have to handle that. So, I try not to import all the understandings, deal with them lovingly,' he said.

He added that he would read each contestant's temperament before deciding his approach. 'There is a way that you can do it lovingly, you can do it by scolding, you can do it angrily. So, I will identify how I can handle this. It's a little challenging. But if there is no challenge in life, then there is no fun,' he said.

About Rise & Fall Season 2

Sehwag took over hosting duties from Ashneer Grover for the show's second season. The reality series features 15 contestants competing over 42 days in a format built around power, strategy, alliances, and shifting fortunes. Contestants are divided between the Rulers — who control the game from the Tower — and the Workers, who live in the Basement and compete for upward mobility.

Season 2 introduces an additional layer of audience participation, giving viewers the power to influence who becomes a Ruler or Worker — a twist that raises the strategic stakes considerably. The show is produced by Banijay Asia and is available to stream on Amazon MX Player.

Why the Casting Choice Makes Sense

Sehwag's appointment as host is more than a celebrity cameo. His career — built on reading conditions quickly and responding with calculated aggression — mirrors the show's own premise of adaptability and power play. Notably, his self-correction on the 'always aggressive' narrative suggests a self-awareness that could make him a more nuanced host than audiences might expect.