IPL 2019: Why this season is incredibly important for Yuvraj Singh
There are just over a couple of months left for the World Cup 2019, and surely bringing a new player into the equation would sound rather ridiculous. Yuvraj Singh hasn't played an ODI for one and a half year, and he's not in the selection picture at all right now.
Bringing back a veteran player out of nowhere - even if he is as accomplished as Yuvraj - would be unfair on the players who have been in the squad for a while now. Moreover, even if Yuvraj shines in the IPL, T20s and ODIs are two different kettles of fish.
But look a bit beyond the World Cup, and this IPL can give him a chance to make a comeback to the Indian team in the longer run.
For a long time now, the World Cup 2019 has been the center of discussion. But just one year after the 50-over World Cup, we have the World T20 coming up. India have many areas of concern in T20 cricket, and those aren't going to be solved on their own.
After this year's World Cup ends, the focus will shift to T20 cricket, and India will look to improve the team as much as possible in order to and prepare adequately for the tournament. And if they are looking to bolster the middle order, 'sixer king' Yuvraj could be in with a chance - provided he does well at this year's IPL.
In T20 cricket, the horses for courses policy is pretty effective. Ashish Nehra got into the mix just before the 2016 World T20 when he was bowling well, so maybe Yuvraj can too. He has had his issues with fitness but after a horrid IPL last year, he has worked a lot on that.
This year, Yuvraj would also get a supportive atmosphere in the dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma backing his talent. If he is given enough confidence and provided enough opportunities, the world could once again see the best of Yuvraj.
The IPL 2019 could probably be the last edition for Yuvraj unless he the tournament on fire. He still has the passion, and if he delivers, he could not only play the next year's IPL, but also the World T20 in 2020.