Yuvraj Singh believes he still has a lot to offer India
Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh may not have played for India since the World T20 in 2016 and looks increasingly out of India’s plan for the future but he still believes that he has a lot to offer. The 35-year-old who recently got married spoke to Sportstar about his performance in 2016 and playing for India again.
Having won the ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC World T20 and the ICC Champions Trophy, Yuvraj Singh has certainly won everything that international cricket has to offer and been a part of all three title-winning sides but he still believes that he has something to offer to India.
“I am training hard and have the confidence of getting the runs,” Yuvraj said. “I feel I still have a lot to offer, and I will do my best to regain my place in the side. I will do all that I can to get the call from the selectors, and take it from there. I still feel I have few more years of cricket left in me, and I will do all it takes to get back into the side and win games for India.“
He also heaped praise on India’s Test captain Virat Kohli after they ended 2016 unbeaten in the longest format of the game and as the No.1 ranked team in the world but was also quick to point out the impact of Rahul Dravid.
Extra Cover: 5 best moments from Yuvraj Singh's career
“It’s amazing to see the way the Indian team has played this season,” he said. “On good wickets they have fought well to win those Test matches comprehensively. A lot of credit goes to Virat Kohli who has led from the front.
“A lot of credit also goes to the systems and the processes which are in place. Look at the way the entire India-A plan has worked in the last few years under Rahul Dravid. There is a huge pool of talent and a very healthy competition for places.”
Nothing wrong with my cricket: Yuvraj
Before his wedding, which dominated the headlines and kept him from playing the last few rounds of this year’s Ranji Trophy, Yuvraj Singh had already amassed 672 runs in five matches at an average of 84, including his career-best first-class score of 260.
Speaking about his season, he admitted that the sheer volume of runs he scored was “very satisfying”. He described his 177 and 76 against Madhya Pradesh, a game which Punjab won as a game that reaffirmed his belief that there was nothing wrong with his game.
“My job is to get on the ground and get runs. I loved my knock at Lahli (against Madhya Pradesh) where I made runs on a challenging pitch. I was hit all over but the runs I made could not have been more precious. It told me that there was nothing wrong with my cricket.”
Although he admitted that it is “very tough” to go back to playing domestic cricket, his motivation helped him do it and start all over again.
Speaking about playing domestic cricket again, he said: “It brought back memories of my early days in competitive cricket. But if you have the desire to excel and the willingness to do anything to make a comeback, then that’s how you are going to do it. “