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Yuvraj Singh: A true sporting fairytale

Roar Guru
22nd January, 2017
6

When Yuvraj Singh was uncharacteristically beaten all ends up by Ryan McLaren for naught at the Wanderers Stadium in 2013, many thought the curtains were being drawn on an exceptional ODI career.

After a two-year absence from cricket, Yuvraj made his first return to limited overs cricket in late 2012 – a comeback which lasted 12 months, yet his impact was minimal to say the least.

In 16 hits (batting predominately at number four), Yuvraj managed just 278 runs at an average of 18 – a top score of 61 combining with four ducks. The man who once made clearing the boundary rope look so easy was all of a sudden getting himself in a tangle at the crease – being bowled on five occasions. He was really struggling with his timing, being exposed against the quality pace of Mitchell Johnson on a number of occasions.

The Indian selectors had no choice but to drop the man everyone loved following the ODI series against South Africa in late 2013.

Singh literally did not pick a cricket bat up for 12 months between April 2011 and 2012, being forced to go through heavy chemotherapy treatment in the US after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2011, just when the left-handed superstar was at the top of his game.

Yuvraj’s comeback in 2013 was a remarkable feat. He had nothing else to prove, many expecting him to call it a day after 292 matches, leaving a legacy behind as one of the greatest ODI players of all time. He had already stolen the hearts of his home nation following his man of the series performance in the 2011 World Cup – a time when his cancerous tumour had begun to develop.

Retirement was never an option. Everyone knows that Yuvraj is not a quitter, he is a fighter – a phoenix – and he was determined to one-day return.

He continued to ply his trade for his native Punjab in the Ranji Trophy domestic league and despite four big centuries (including two scores of 180+) over a 24-month period in 2014-15, an inconsistent Yuvraj wasn’t doing enough to even come close to being selected in a strong, new-look national team.

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He couldn’t even make it into the 2015 ICC World Cup 30-man preliminary squad.

Coming into the 2016 Ranji Trophy, it was make or break time for Yuvraj. At 35 years of age, it was becoming increasingly unlikely that the man who once hit six sixes in an over would ever be seen in national colours again. He needed to produce something special, he needed to rise above the rest of the pack to outshine the younger likes of Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Hooda, a pair being touted as the next duo to debut for India.

He did just that.

In five matches, the powerful left-hander blasted 672 runs at 84, including scores of 260 and 177, to essentially demand national selection, being rewarded with a recall to the limited-overs squad in early January.

Surprisingly, the media was heavily against the veteran’s return, many labelling it as a backward step for Indian cricket. The man who was pivotal in many of the country’s limited-over run chases was now being questioned for his ability to perform at the national level in 2017.

In his return match, India were in trouble early at 2-24 in their pursuit of England’s huge score of 350. The crowd roared as the 35-year-old made his way to the crease, yet he didn’t look fazed by it all – his trademark smirk oozing confidence.

He left his first ball, a wide delivery outside off, the crowd noticeably louder in anticipation for him to get off the mark. An over later, facing just his second delivery, India’s World Cup hero pulled a shortish delivery from David Willey over the deep-midwicket boundary to get off the mark with a six. Vintage Yuvi!

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Despite two more boundaries, Singh’s time at the crease was short-lived, tickling a ball down leg directly to the keeper for just 15. The man affectionately dubbed as Yuvi failed in his comeback match. Maybe the critics were right. Was this a poor decision from the selectors?

The pressure was now heavily mounted on Yuvraj. He needed a big score to cement his spot in the side for the upcoming Champions trophy in June – one more omission from the side and his national career would be over.

Yuvraj was required in just the fourth over in the second ODI, his side once again with their backs against the wall early at 2-22, Virat Kholi falling cheaply. Somebody else needed to stand up following the captain’s rare failure.

What was to follow was utterly remarkable.

Yuvraj wound back the clock to produce a remarkable 150-run knock, coinciding with a 256-run fourth wicket partnership with MS Dhoni. For 127 deliveries on Thursday afternoon, it was the Yuvi of old, crunching 24 boundaries in a match-defining innings.

It was pure elegance, every shot being timed to perfection, none better than his first boundary of the afternoon, a trademark whip off the hips which flew over square leg.

The ferocious pull-shots we had once grown to love had returned after a near six-year absence, rocking back in his crease and crunching the likes of Ball, Plunkett, Stokes and Willey to the deep midwicket boundary. It was all too easy. This was the stuff of legend. An innings to be remembered years down the track.

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Everything was once again coming together for Yuvi. His swagger was back – he was the one once again bullying the bowlers, much like he did to likes of Brett Lee and Stuart Broad many years ago.

It was his first century since the 2011 World Cup – also his highest score in 295 matches.

Following the match, the man himself dubbed the performance as “one of my best innings”.

Yuvraj’s comeback is truly one of the biggest individual sporting returns of the modern era, defying both physical, form-related and age barriers to once again reach the pinnacle of professional cricket. An inspiration for many, the comeback king must now focus on continuing to score runs for India, Champions trophy firmly on his mind.

Hopefully, we get to see Yuvi in action for many more years to come.

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