A tribute to India's "Prince Charming" Yuvraj Singh

17 years ago, India was facing World Champions Australian in quarter-final of ICC Knock Out tournament (now known as Champions Trophy). Batting first India had lost Sachin, Ganguly & Dravid at the score of 90. Then came a 19 year old boy and smashed McGrath, Brett Lee, and Gillespie and scored a memorable 84 runs. The boy was batting for 1^st time in international cricket and he was none other than Yuvraj Singh – The Charmin Prince of Indian cricket. He has won Under 19 world cup, T 20 world cup and 50 overs world cup. Today he is playing his 300^th match.Yuvraj was instrumental in India’s 2011 world cup triumph and he was awarded Man of the Series. He was the backbone of 2007 T20 World cup winning team. After winning the world cup he survived cancer and again came back in Indian team and has been playing like a resurgent player. He played the whole 2011 world cup with cancer and gave more than 100%. He has been dropped many times but he has made great comeback each time. Last week, Kholi said that he felt like a club batsmen when Yuvraj started to smash Pakistani bowlers out of park in 2017 ICC Champions trophy. It was not easy for him when he was blames for Indi’s loss in 2014 T20 World cup final against Sri Lanka. It was not easy for him when he was battling cancer in London. But Yuvraj is a special talent and he came back stronger after each setback. At the twilight of his carrier in 2017, he smashed carrier best 150 against England in Cuttak.As a cricket fan, it is very difficult to select a few of best Yuvraj’s innings. If I would have to select 5 top most Yuvraj’s performance in ODIs then I would select the following –

• ·84 Runs against Australia in Nairobi (2000) - It was indeed special for a batting debut for Yuvraj. It was the glimpse to the world that a new star has arrived on the block.

• ·69 runs against England at Lords in Natwest final (2002) - It was the first glimpse of new Indian team under Ganguly. India was struggling at 146/5 chasing 325 and then an epic partnership started between Yuvraj & Kaif. Yuvraj got out after making counter-attacking 69 but he had laid the foundation of one of the famous Indian ODI victory.  

• 139 against Australia in Sydney (2004) – It was one the best knocks played by Yuvraj overseas. He dismantled Australian bowling lineup along with VVS Laxman. India lost the match by 2 wickets thanks to D/L rule.

• 107 against Pakistan in Karachi (2006)- Yuvraj Singh along with MS Dhoni destroyed much framed Pakistani bowling lineup and India chased 286 runs with relatively ease.

• ·    57 runs and 2 wickets against Australia in 2011 World Cup Quarter final- Australia had not lost a world cup match since their loss to Pakistan in group stage in 1999 WC. Yuvraj Singh played a crucial inning of 57 not out and guided India to a very famous victory. Earlier while bowling Yuvraj had taken important wicket of Haddin and Clarke.

Yuvraj had also played many memorable T20 innings like 6 sixes against Stuart Broad & then destroyed Australia in 2007 T20 world cup and 77 not out of 35 balls against Australia in 2013 in Rajkot. He is still a very valuable player in T20 WC. Yuvraj’s test carrier lasted just 40 tests but at times he showed glimpse of his limited over cricket. He scored 85 not out in 2008 Chennai test and helped India to win a memorable Chennai test by chasing 387 runs. He scored a fighting century against Pakistan in Lahore in 2004 when all big Indian guns had failed.Only one world comes in my mind when I think of Yuvraj Singh – Fighter. You many not find another player like Yuvraj. Don’t just go by his batting numbers alone. He is a far better player than his ODI batting average of 36.9. I wish that Prince could have become a King one day but we would have missed the fun of watching one of India’s favorite prince in the fileld