Historian Govind Sakharam Sardesai wrote that there was none as fine looking in Peshwa lineage as Vishwasrao.

[citation needed] He was the nominal Commander of Maratha Forces and the Peshwa's representative during the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) under the guidance and leadership of his uncle Sadashivrao Bhau.

[5] At the time of the battle, the Maratha Empire controlled about two-thirds of the Indian subcontinent (including areas of the modern Republic of India and Pakistan).

On the final day of the battle, during the period of the most intense fighting (approximately 01:00–02:30 pm), Vishwasrao was first hit by an arrow which injured his shoulder and then shot in his head while lying down[6][7] by a bullet fired by a Pashtun officer[note 1] and died fighting on the front lines.

As per British historian Grant Duff, upon hearing about Shrimant Vishwasrao's death, Malharrao Holkar retreated from the field with at least 10,000 soldiers and sardars, taking men of significance like Damaji Gaekwad with him.