Braveheart thank you for the memories

MUMBAI:  “I love cricket, this game has given me everything,” says Yuvraj Singh on film. “I also hate cricket.”You’d rarely hear those last four words uttered by an Indian cricketer, let alone a World Cup-winning one. But as Yuvraj formally said goodbye to international cricket on Monday, “closure” was the biggest thing he was after. “Making this announcement today, I think,  a heavy burden has been lifted off me,” said Yuvraj in a refreshingly honest press meet.

An architect of many of India’s finest moments in limited overs cricket, including the 2011 World Cup victory, Yuvraj though had his biggest test off the field when he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour stage-1 in his left lung in 2011. “All this happened so quickly and that too when I was at the peak of my career. I can’t possibly explain the support of my family and friends who stood by me,” he said. 

Yuvraj had a strangely conflicting relationship with the sport. It was somewhat Andre Agassi-esque as he revealed during a short film on his early start in cricket, the turmoil his father created in feverishly pursuing his dream of making his son an international cricketer.

The backyard at home, in Chandigarh, was turned into batting nets, floodlights erected so a young Yuvraj could practice well into the night. “It was like a glamorous jail,” he says. Cricket took his childhood away, and Yuvraj grew up to be one of India’s finest batsmen in limited overs cricket, never quite letting go of that resentment. “I actually made peace with it a couple of days ago when I was talking about it to my father,” he said on Monday. “I spoke to him, demons inside as young kid came out. He came up with his side of the story and it was a very peaceful moment for me. I had never had that chat with him in the last 20 years.”

Breaking through into the Indian team in the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy in Kenya, Yuvraj made an instant impression, scoring 84 against an Australian side that had Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee. In the 2002 Natwest Series final in England, he, along with Mohammed Kaif, scripted one of India’s greatest escape acts, helping the team reach the target of 326 after being 146 for five down. At the 2007 T20 World Cup, which India won, he swatted Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over.

His biggest moment though came when India won the 2011 World Cup. Yuvraj picked up four Man of the Match awards and was declared Man of the Tournament (the trophies were on display as he gave his farewell speech). 

Of late, he has been struggling in the Indian Premier League as well. Yuvraj said that he had made up his mind last year that the 2019 IPL would be his last. “I was not getting the opportunity to play. There were a lot of reasons. I started in 2000 and 19 years had gone past. I was confused about my career, how to end it. That last IPL we won, had I got a chance to play, I would have gone with satisfaction. But in life, you don’t get all the things. It’s been a beautiful journey, but it’s time to move on.”

Recalling the good and bad 

Regret not playing enough Test matches?
Yes that will always be a regret. I was playing at a time when it was difficult to get a spot. Players like Laxman, Ganguly, who was the captain, Sachin, Rahul and Viru started opening. It was very hard to find space in the middle order and that time we used to get one-two Tests compared to guys today who get 10-12 Test matches to play all the time. So I never really got that spot. Every time I failed I used to lose the spot, it was me or Sourav or Laxman. Then Sourav retired and after that one year I was actually playing Test cricket. Finally I got my spot in and I was diagnosed of cancer, so I don’t know what to say, it’s been unfortunate.

Best moments
Biggest moment would be winning 2011 WC and being ‘Man of the Series’. It cannot be a bigger high, winning in India after 28 years. Defining moment in my career would be when I batted first and scored 84 against Australia. First game you bat and you score 84 against the best team in the world, that was my defining moment. Because of that, after that I failed in lot of games but I started so well I had an opportunity to come and play again and again. So that was my defining moment.

World Cup MVP
Yuvraj made it his personal mission to win the 2011 World Cup in front of his fans. That visceral howl he let out after playing a match-winning knock against Australia in the quarterfinal went down in history as one of the most iconic images. Also became the first cricketer to score 300 runs and take over 15 wickets in a single edition. 

Six sixes in an over
He also provided one of India’s earliest happy T20-related memories by eviscerating Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over, on his way to the fastest T20 fifty. That it came soon after India’s horror show at the 50-over World Cup only made it even more special. He also played his part in a thrilling semifinal win over Australia a few nights later.  

vs Australia, 2000 Champions Trophy 
He showed gumption, spunk and no less flair in his debut series to knock out the world champs. The way he handled Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee  during his knock of 84 showed India had found a good middle-order batsman. 

vs England, 2002 NatWest Trophy
 Chasing 326, Mohammad Kaif and he strung together a high-voltage 121-run stand to take India home. The then 21-year-old, who hit 69, showed maturity as he handled the likes of Andrew Flintoff with aplomb. 

vs Australia, 2003-04 VB Series 
He combined timing and aesthetics with power as the Australians again ran into a superior batsman. They tried everything but could not stop him from scoring his second ODI 100. The 139 is his second highest ODI score.

vs Australia, 2003-04 VB Series 
He combined timing and aesthetics with power as the Australians again ran into a superior batsman. They tried everything but could not stop him from scoring his second ODI 100. The 139 is his second highest ODI score.