Yuvraj Singh: The man who scripted miracles in cricket
India's swashbuckling all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, on Monday, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. With a rich history of scripting amazing records, including being the architect of two world title wins, Yuvraj said his journey was memorable and he believed that it was the right time to hang up his boots. Meanwhile, we take a look at his career to date.
A look at his career defining moments
While he has astounding stats in cricket, his first big moment came when he helped India win the 2002 NatWest series in England. He cemented his name in record books when he hit England's Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over during the 2007 World T20. Notably, he played a crucial role in leading India to their second World Cup title in 2011.
Yuvraj had a promising start as a youth
Considering his youth career, Yuvraj made his debut at the age of 13 for Punjab Under-16. Playing for Under-19 team, he scored an unbeaten 137 against Himachal Pradesh in 1996-97. His first career-defining innings was against Bihar where he made 358 runs for Punjab. He was also the Player of the Tournament in the 2000 ICC U-19 World Cup, which India won.
Rise to international fame in England
Following his international debut in 2000, he got international recognition after he smashed 84 against Australia in the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy. However, the biggest moment of his career came in 2002, when he and his U-19 captain Mohammad Kaif, helped India win the NatWest ODI series from a troublesome situation. In 2003, he scored his first ODI century against Bangladesh in Dhaka.
Cementing his legacy as one of the greatest T20 players
Following the arrival of the T20 format, Yuvraj adapted to the format quickly and started to play flawlessly. The 2007 ICC World T20 in South Africa saw his sublime form in this format. He played a big role in helping India clinch the World T20, earning him the nickname 'T20 King'. He also earned the Man of the Tournament award.
Kings XI Punjab's icon player in IPL
Post his T20I success, he was roped in by Kings XI Punjab as their icon player in the inaugural IPL in 2008, as he led the side in the first two seasons. He claimed a hat-trick in 2009 in Durban, where he had hit the six sixes. In 2019, he played for Mumbai Indians, while he has two IPL titles to his name.
His golden run during 2011 World Cup
While he continued to play amazing cricket, his golden run came in the 2011 World Cup. He was the fourth-highest run-scorer for India in the tournament, while he put up an all-round show, as he was their second-highest wicket-taker as well. His performance helped him earn another Man of the Tournament award. He ended up with 362 runs and 15 wickets.
Batting cancer and the comeback
Following the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj was diagnosed with by cancer, as he underwent the chemotherapy in the USA. Within a year, he managed to recover and made a strong comeback to cricket. His first match after the comeback was a T20I against New Zealand in Chennai, where he scored 26-ball 34. He also scored a Test century playing for Rest of the World.
There will never be another Yuvraj in cricket
As India get set for an era without Yuvraj, the author believes that he would go down the history books as one of the greatest all-rounders of this generation. We also believe that he was the pioneer in making T20 cricket a success, while his miraculous comeback to the game after battling cancer is sure to inspire many in the coming years.
