It was a day when God literally showered India with stars. The 12th day of December gave politics; Sharad Pawar, film industry; Rajnikanth and cricket; Yuvraj Singh.
Tall and handsome, the most eligible cricketer of the country has become an expensive commodity, why not, we look at the life of one of India's most prolific batsmen.
BANGALORE: It was a day when God literally showered India with stars. The 12th day of December gave politics; Sharad Pawar, film industry; Rajinikanth and cricket; Yuvraj Singh. Is it a co-incidence that all power houses’ came down on the same date?
Generously gifted with power, the Punjab brut Yuvraj Singh turned 27 bagging a couple of wickets in a tantalizing end of the drawn Bangalore test against Pakistan. His launch in the ODI arena was with a bang when in his 2nd ODI, he tore the Aussie attack of McGrath, Lee and Gillespie to tatters in an 84-ball 82 in 2001 Champions Trophy.
What followed after that is history. Yuvraj was destined for big things and had his share of highs and lows. But nevertheless his purple patches have always over shadowed his lean times. He got an entry to the league of extra-ordinary gentleman was during Natwest final in July 2002 against England. His knock partnered by his junior team captain Mohammad Kaif was like a bolt from the blue to the English men.
He was soon labeled as the most destructive yet clean ODI batsman in the country as well as the world. Yuvraj’s 50-over game records were enviable. Most of his knocks were match-winning. Soon he also gained the tag of the best finisher in the game with his flawless game.
Since then the Punjab da puttar has not looked back. After bagging three consecutive man-of-the-series awards in 2006 against South Africa, Pakistan and England, there was a spectacle to come. The Caribbean world cup was a disappointment for the whole country, but Yuvraj probably had other plans for the year to come.
The Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa, gave Yuvraj all what a cricketer in his life would have asked for. Runs, records, fame, money, not to forget Porsche car and above all the World T20 championship also kissed Yuvraj’s feet.
English cricket had a red-letter day on September, 19 2007. They were facing India in Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup. Yuvraj sent the English team on a leather hunt around Kingsmead by hitting six successive sixes to unfortunate Stuart Broad. It was mayhem of 12 balls that took Yuvraj to score fastest fifty in any form of cricket.
The extraordinary knock was a revenge of sorts. In the series against England before the T20 World Cup, Dmitiri Mascarehnas of England had hit him for five consecutive sixes in the last over of their innings. Yuvraj found a booty in the record when he was gifted a Porsche 911 by Vice-president of BCCI and Rs1,00,00,000 by the board.
He did everything in the cricketing books to become the best batsman of the country. But that seemed to be not enough for him to bag a test spot. In the concluded series against Pakistan, Yuvraj’s absence in the final eleven was a point of debate. But he was destined to make life difficult for selectors and captain to make him sit out. In the final test at Bangalore, Sachin Tendulkar was to sit out due to an injury. Yuvraj deservedly got the nod.
What followed was a breathtaking show of power, form, style and Yuvraj hammered 169 runs in the first innings on his comeback. Co-incidentally the final day was to be his birthday, he didn’t score runs, but as a gift he got two crucial Pakistani wickets in a nail-biting end of the drawn match. Even after batting fluently, he was candid in accepting that with a batting line-up consisting of so many greats, there is no choice but to sit out.
Son of former Indian fast bowler and Punjab film star Yograj Singh, Yuvraj has got style, looks and built inherited from his father. He has been the eye-candy of Indian cricket with Dhoni and Harbhajan being his partners of course. What most of the bowlers’ world over could not do was done by Kim Sharma.
Yuvraj was bowled, but not for long. The 4 - year relation came to an end in May 2007. That gave Yuvi the tag of the most eligible cricketer of the country. Nandita Mahtani was rumoured to date him, but soon that was past. The future was Deepika Padukone. Incidentally the grapevines have been rumours till now. The twist to the tale was Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s evinced interest in the starlet too. It seems the love triangle between the Captain, vice captain and the beauty would make headlines more often than not.
Like his name, Yuvraj has led a life like that of a prince. It has never been short of pride, passion, commitment, failures and success. To add to it, insider’s story says Yuvraj is the next big thing after Sachin Tendulkar in Indian cricket. Big things have now started coming in big packages.
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