10 things to know about Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh, perhaps the most dazzling, popular and famed middle-order batsman that India have had in the modern times, has had a glittering career that has spanned over 14 years. Debuting as a 19-year old, after his remarkable performance in the U-19 World Cup in 2000, Yuvraj climbed the ladder of success, in an emphatic fashion, with his peak periods coming between 2006 and 2008, as well as during the 2011 World Cup.As the sixer-king turns 34 today, we look back at what has been a truly remarkable career, studded with records, memories, disappointments, and most of all, victories, that he, at times, single-handedly gifted the team with.

#1 U-19 Star

Yuvraj was first recognized during the U-19 World Cup of the year 2000.

The first glimpse that the world saw, of this hard-hitting southpaw from Punjab, was during the U-19 World Cup of 2000 held in Sri Lanka. He scored 203 runs in the tournament at a strike-rate of 103 and also took 12 wickets at 11.50. This also included a 25-ball 58 against Australia in the semi-final, a knock that included 5 fours and 5 sixes.

The prelude to his performance seven years later against the same opponent in the T20 World Cup was perhaps laid then and there. In less than a year after this, he was playing for India.