The Comeback Man!!!

There are only a few who can hit the cricket ball as clean and hard as Yuvraj Singh does. When in rhythm he can tear apart any opponent with his effortless yet brutal hitting. A nightmare to the bowlers, a treat to the viewers, he made a mark in international cricket with his very first innings - a match winning knock of 84 against the mighty aussies. He hasn't looked back ever since. A multi-talented cricketer, he has always been more prolific in  limited-overs cricket, than in Tests for whatever reasons. His athleticism, aggression and his wily left-arm spin made him a dream one-day player as Indian cricket found a potential all-rounder.

His ODI career is full of highlights. Elegant sixes, flamboyant drives, breathtaking catches, acrobatic run-outs could all be associated to Yuvi. Be it his heroics in the 2002 Natwest final at Lord’s, his six 6s to Stuart Broad during the T20 World Cup in 2007 or his double Hat-trick in IPL 2009, Yuvi has given us several unforgettable moments throughout his career with the biggest impact being his contribution to India's World Cup triumph in 2011, where his all-round performances won him the "Man of the Tournament"- 362 runs, 15 wickets, and four Man-of-the-Match awards in all. 

He had certainly got to the peak of his career and then, quite suddenly, it turned into a downward spiral. Came the biggest challenge of his life, when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer which required a ten week treatment in the USA. 

He won his personal match too, this time braving past the dreaded disease and making a full recovery. The ordeal had left him a changed man. He was fairly confident that he could resume his duties on the cricket field reasonably quickly. After a stint at the NCA, Yuvraj staged a heroic comeback to international cricket when he took on the Kiwis in a T20I in Chennai where he scored 34 off 26. It could have been the start of a more consistent dream but this time, inconsistency posed a massive challenge, especially with lackluster performances in the World T20 tournament  and then he had to put in his best efforts for a comeback into the national side. Again. 

Yuvi has stormed back into the national side after some solid showings against West Indies A, and the Challenger Trophy. Dropped for several months and confined to the sidelines, he spent the summer in France to take part in a rigorous fitness regime that lasted 6 weeks. Though there were doubts as to whether he was match ready, he was seen much leaner, fitter and younger. The training proved worthy as he made a grand come back to cricket. 

In his first competitive knock since the IPL, Yuvraj blazed 123 off 89 balls against West Indies A in a one-dayer, and followed it up with two more fifties in the next three innings. And then, with a couple of all-round displays - which has become a synonym to him, he led India Blue to the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy, thereby letting his presence known to the selectors who made the right call of getting him back to the Indian squad for the upcoming series against the aussies. 

Lofty highs as well as despairing depths, he has seen it all. Not one to give up, he has never lost hope and continues to be a man who seeks to write new chapters with his courageous self. For now we may expect him to do what he does best on the cricketing field. 


- DC


Courtesy: Internet