13 years of Yuvraj Singh - the greatest real-life story ever told in Indian cricket
It’s hard to not get emotional about Yuvraj Singh. For 13 years now, Yuvi has scripted such tales the like of which will be retold by fans for generations to come.
You know where you were when he, along with Mohammad Kaif, made the impossible possible at Lord’s.
You remember how hard you screamed after every six he hit in Stuart Broad‘s over at Durban.
You can still picture him roaring after hitting the winning runs against Australia in Ahmedabad.
You remember his dives inside the circle, you remember him lifting Sachin at Chepauk, you remember his finishes with Dhoni.
You will always remember Yuvraj Singh.
The start and stutter
What has been a terrific journey had an apt beginning, with a World Cup win in 1999/2000 in Colombo.
203 runs at a strike rate of 103.57, 12 wickets at an average of 11.50. The world took notice of Yuvraj Singh in U19 World Cup
Then he made his debut for India, and in his second match, Australia got hammered. Yuvraj had found the team, the best in the world, which he loved beating to a pulp!
Yuvi met Australia in Nairobi. It was love at first sight. The moment he sighted the ball, he loved to hit it out of the park.
They called him the messiah, and in typical Indian style, Yuvraj Singh saw the best of fame and the worst of it within a span of a year. From being the ‘great saviour of Indian cricket’, he went to having ‘attitude problems’, according to the media, as inconsistency troubled him.
The comeback
But he made a strong comeback, and hit successive 50s. It was not going to be his first comeback, and wasn’t even the most spectacular of his career.
Then came Lord’s. Oh, the sweet, sweet final at Lord’s! Your parents told you to go to sleep and turn the goddamn TV off. But you persisted, and watched anyway, despite Sachin Tendulkar getting out.
It was a test of faith, and Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh didn’t disappoint.
Ganguly made the moment immortal on the Lord’s balcony, but Yuvraj and Kaif had formed a partnership which we still remember with a smile on our faces.
The knock at Lord’s made him a legend already
The Yuvi-Kaif partnership didn’t just make runs, they saved them too. And my word, how well they fielded! It was ecstasy for an Indian fan. Yuvraj was capable of flying high at point and gully.
As impressionable 12/13-year-olds, what else did you need to just bow down to the man!?
The dream run
Then, in the mid-2000s, with Kaif, Dhoni and a few others, Yuvraj Singh chased down almost everything India were set. It was a dream run!
Rajkot 2005, fakhr hai!
Yuvraj 79*, Kaif 38*. India chase 197
Rawalpindi 2006, fakhr hai!
Yuvraj 82*, Kaif 5*. India chase 266
Lahore 2006, fakhr hai!
Yuvraj 79*, Dhoni 72*. India chase 289
Karachi 2006, fakhr hai!
Yuvraj 107*, Dhoni 77*. India chase 287
Vizag 2007, fakhr hai!
Yuvraj 95*, Ganguly 58*. India chase 260
Belfast 2007, fakhr hai!
Yuvraj 61*, Dhoni 14*. India chase 149 in 31 overs
Gwalior 2007, fakhr hai!
Yuvraj 53*, Dhoni 45*. India chase 256
India had a proven match-winner, and Yuvraj Singh played like a dream.
The massacre
Then T20 World Cup happened in South Africa in 2007, and Yuvraj made himself immortal. Stuard Broad crossed a line, and Yuvraj went berserk hitting him for 6 sixes in an over.
You remember where you were that day, and you remember each six as the back of your hand. You remember shouting like a crazy person after Ravi Shastri, having himself done it earlier, went “aaaaand he’s put it away!!!”. Whatever Yuvraj Singh does the rest of his career, this will remain the crowning jewel of it.
But he wasn’t done yet. In the semifinal, he met his favourite opposition, Australia. He murdered them again!
The test of Tests
In the meantime, he made his Test debut, but wasn’t able to secure a permanent spot. Still, there were some sweet memories.
In only his 4th Test, Yuvraj fell amidst a ruin to carve his maiden Test hundred in 2004. Against a rampant Pakistan attack, he scored 112 when India folded for 287. India knew Yuvraj wasn’t just an ODI wonder.
He and Dada tormented Pakistan after India were reduced to 61/4 in Bangalore. In a dream partnership, Yuvraj helped India steer out of trouble and registered his highest Test score of 169
It’s 2008, Chepauk, and Yuvraj lifts Sachin after India complete the 5th highest run-chase of all time in Test cricket. Yuvi contributed with 85, as Sachin scored a memorable hundred.
The peak
Then came the 2011 World Cup, and Yuvraj Singh became what he was always destined to be – the all-rounder who wins matches for India.
58 vs England
50* and 5/31 vs Ireland
50* and 2/43 vs Netherlands
113 and 2/18 vs West Indies
57* and 2/44 vs Australia in Quarterfinal
2/57 vs Pakistan in Semifinal
21* and 2/49 vs Sri Lanka in Final
Yuvraj Singh had the world at his feet in 2011
The fall
And then everything changed. Yuvraj Singh was diagnosed with a rare germ-cell cancer.
But the on-field fighter emerged off it too.
Yuvraj Singh’s battle with cancer showed his fighting spirit
But he returned.
And even scored a blistering innings against Pakistan!
72 of 36 balls. 4 fours and 7 sixes!
But his form deserted him, and Yuvraj did what he does best in such circumstances. He fought to be better.
The return
He, along with Zaheer Khan, trained with Tim Exeter in France. The training was intense.
Having lost all those extra kilos and looking much fitter than before, Yuvi made yet another comeback.
His recent scores don’t show his true ability, and Yuvraj is now facing an exit from the team again.
But whatever may happen in near future, one thing is sure – there’s no stopping Yuvraj Singh. He won’t give up. He never has.
