India's playing 11 from Yuvraj Singh's Test debut in 2003 - where are they now?
Yuvraj Singh's exploits for India in white-ball cricket are well documented, standing out as one of the greatest match-winners the country has produced. His performances, particularly in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 World Cup, showed why he was a player for the big stages.
The southpaw also featured in Test cricket for India, playing 40 matches and scoring 1900 runs at an average of 33.9. It was difficult for Yuvraj Singh to get consistent game time and understandably so given how power packed and star-studded the Indian middle order was at the time.
As Yuvraj Singh turns 42 today, let's take a look at India's playing XI from when he made his Test debut as the local boy in Mohali way back on 16th October, 2003 in a drawn Test against New Zealand.
Openers: Aakash Chopra & Virender Sehwag
Before Gautam Gambhir's arrival, Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag opened several Tests together for India. The duo had a great camaraderie and naturally so as they played a lot of cricket together for Delhi in domestic cricket.
Chopra played just 10 Test matches for India, while Sehwag went on to become one of the greatest Test openers India has produced. Both are retired and continue to give their insights on the game as cricket experts.
Middle order: Rahul Dravid (c), Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel (wk)
The middle order of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman was arguably the best in Test cricket at that time and it was Ganguly's unavailability that gave Yuvraj Singh his debut. Dravid had commentary stints after retirement and is currently the head coach of the Indian team.
Tendulkar continues to have short commentary stints here and there, and even after ten years of retirement, is fondly remembered by fans as the God of cricket. Laxman is the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and has also served as the interim head coach of the Indian team.
Parthiv Patel was among many Indian wicketkeepers who just couldn't get regular game time, thanks to the brilliance of MS Dhoni and how he became a mainstay in the Indian team. Parthiv has worked with the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians helping them in scouting talents and is also a cricket expert with his own YouTube channel.
Bowlers: Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Laxmipathy Balaji, Zaheer Khan
Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble were the spin duo that dominated the batters, especially at home during that period. They have gone down as two of the greatest spinners in Test cricket. Just like many other retired cricketers from this list, both are cricket experts.
Laxmipathy Balaji also gives his opinion as a guest on cricket shows and has worked with the Chennai Super Kings until recently as their bowling coach. Zaheer Khan won the World Cup for India alongside players like Harbhajan. He is also Mumbai Indians' global head of cricket development, playing a role in mentoring new talent at the franchise.