If Virender Sehwag’s batting style gets him either extreme praise or severe criticism, Yuvraj Singh’s opulence is bound to earn him accolades one day and mire him in controversies the very next.
If Virender Sehwag’s batting style gets him either extreme praise or severe criticism, Yuvraj Singh’s opulence is bound to earn him accolades one day and mire him in controversies the very next.
Most recently, he has been blamed for the plummeting fortunes of Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after being stripped of captaincy, but not even his staunchest critics will deny that he is one who can win you crucial matches in the World Twenty20.
The situation was not much different three years ago, when he was said to be piqued at having to play under Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the inaugural edition in South Africa, but then he produced the most cherished performance in T20 internationals, six sixes in an over against England that left Stuart Broad looking like a school boy going through routines.
It was one of those efforts that resurrected the belief of cricket fans after the early exit at the World Cup in the Caribbean earlier that year. The scene shifts once again to the West Indies and Yuvraj will have to play a major role if India expects to make amends for the sake of expatriates who converge there from neighbouring countries like the USA and Canada.
Former India all-rounder and coach Madan Lal feels Yuvraj’s performances will have a direct bearing on the fortunes of the team. “His batting in the middle-order will be crucial. No one else can give that kind of momentum in the middle overs. His clean hitting can very easily dictate the course of the match,” says Lal, a prominent member of the 1983 World Cup winning team.
But will his indifferent form in the IPL not affect his confidence?
“He is an experienced player who knows how to handle situations. You wait and see how he lifts his game when playing for India. The IPL and international cricket are two different things and he knows that very well. All he needs to do is bat himself in with a couple of singles and then go for his shots,” he adds.
Another former India player, Surender Khanna, though feels that Yuvraj will have to be careful. “There is no doubt that Yuvraj is a hard batsman to contain, especially in this format of the game, but he will be at his best when the bounce is true. I am not sure what kind of pitches they will get in the West Indies,” says Khanna.
“But then one can also expect smaller grounds there and that could be a crucial factor. Yuvraj’s big hitting can be demoralising at small grounds. I only hope he remains in peak fitness through the tournament, otherwise there will be too much pressure on the likes of Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay.”
With Sehwag ruled out because of injury, Dhoni, who has often been at the other end with Yuvraj going hammer and tongs, knows very well that the left-hander’s armaments would be much needed. He would be hoping his comments on the same lines inspire Yuvraj in time.
YUVRAJ IN WORLD T20
2007 (South Africa)
M I R HS Avg SR 100s 50s
6 5 148 70 29.60 194.73 0 2
2009 (England)
M I R HS Avg SR 100s 50s
5 5 153 67 38.25 154.54 0 1
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