'I expected Yuvi to join in but…’: When Yuvraj Singh refused to practice with Virat Kohli

Former India fielding coach R Sridhar recalled an incident when ex-India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh refused to do fielding practice with Virat Kohli. The incident happened in 2016 when Indian team had gone to Australia to play five ODIs and three T20Is.

"We were training at the Adelaide Oval in January 2016, the day before the start of the three-match T20I series against Australia. I was putting Virat through the grind and, typically, he held nothing back. Yuvraj Singh walked past me when I had expected him to join in and sat himself down in the dugout, watching us intently. Once Virat had left the field for a few minutes later, Yuvi came across for his practice. He told me, ‘I couldn’t have kept pace with Virat or matched his intensity. I thought it best that I leave you guys to it and once he finished, I can work on my fielding at my own pace.'

"I could see where he was coming from. The next day Yuvi held a blinder at short cover off Hardik Pandya to get rid of Chris Lynn. There is something to say for practicing at one's own pace, I guess," the ex-India coach noted in his book titled “COACHING BEYOND: My Days with the Indian Cricket Team”.

Left-handed batter Yuvraj Singh retired from international cricket in 2019. He was the player of the tournament in India's World Cup victory in 2011.