Yuvraj Singh has been one of the most remarkable servants of Indian cricket. The celebrated all-rounder played a pivotal role in India’s triumphant ODI World Cup 2011 campaign, etching his name into the annals of cricketing history.
Yuvraj Singh’s glorious international career for India
Renowned for his explosive batting and exceptional skills with the ball, Yuvraj was among the finest white-ball cricketers India has ever produced. With 8701 runs for India in the ODI format in a career which for a little more than a decade, Yuvraj has scored runs with a batting average of 36.5 and made 14 centuries for the national side. However, his illustrious career wasn’t without its share of setbacks. While fans fondly remember his heroic performances, many are disheartened by the circumstances surrounding his retirement from international cricket. The abrupt end to Yuvraj’s career left many unanswered questions, sparking debates among cricket enthusiasts.
Years after his farewell to the game, former teammate Robin Uthappa has now unveiled some shocking details about the events that led to the legendary cricketer’s retirement. These revelations shed light on the behind-the-scenes struggles Yuvraj endured, offering fans a deeper understanding of the challenges he faced during the twilight of his career.
Robin Uthappa accused Virat Kohli
Former Indian cricketer Uthappa had shared the Indian dressing room during some of the most joyous occasions in Indian cricket. Both former players were part of the squad which won the 2007 T20 World Cup held in South Africa and played for the national side during the same time period. The former cricketer has closely seen Yuvraj’s career and has now shared some insights on the circumstances which developed at the end of his decade long run in international cricket.
“Virat wanted players to reach his level in fitness, eating habits, listening and agreeing. It is tough to match as everyone is different,” Uthappa said during a recent discussion with The Lallantop.
Additionally, Uthappa pointed out that Yuvraj had requested for a reduction in the fitness test by two points but then captain of the Indian cricket team Virat Kohli did not pay heed to the legendary world cup winner.
“Yuvi Pa defeated cancer. He won us two World Cups. When you become captain, you talk about his diminished lung capacity. You have seen his struggles and there was a need to back him and give him some time to get back. Yuvraj deserved some exceptions because he defeated cancer and won tournaments in the past,” the former Indian batter added.
Uthappa also questioned Kohli’s leadership and highlighted the kind of skipper Kohli was during his tenure as the captain of the team.
“I haven’t played under his captaincy a lot. He is a ‘my way or the highway’ kind of a skipper,” Uthappa concluded.
Uthappa has played a total of 46 ODI matches for the Indian team and made 936 runs in his career. Besides that, the 39-year-old had a coveted career in first-class cricket and has also featured for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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Lack of opportunities for Yuvraj
Yuvraj made a comeback from cancer in December 2012 but was not included in the Indian team for the Champions Trophy 2013. Since then he featured in just 30 ODI matches for Indian before announcing his retirement from all forms of international cricket in June 2019. According to Yuvraj, he was ‘sick of not getting opportunities’ and wanted to help people affected from cancer. However, Yuvraj continued playing white-ball cricket for his domestic side, Punjab and featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2019 season. Recently, Yuvraj was the skipper of the India champs squad in the World Championship of Legends which defeated Pakistan Champs in the final at Birmingham to win the prestigious tournament.
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