5 Reasons why Yuvraj deserves a lookback in the Indian team

Yuvraj Singh was once seen as an indispensable part of the Indian cricket team. The left-handed batsman, who was the Player of the series in India’s World Cup winning campaign in 2011, is one of the best all-rounders that the world of cricket has ever seen. But after he was diagnosed from Cancer in 2011, things seemed to fall apart for the southpaw from Chandigarh. He did battle it out against Cancer but could not make a permanent comeback to the national side again. The reasons have been cited as many, some valid while some being beyond the scope of understanding.

He made his comeback in the ICC World T20 2014 but was blamed for his excruciatingly slow knock against Sri Lanka in the finals which was cited as the main reason for India’s defeat. But truth be told, there is no reason why people should have been harsh on the six-hitting machine from India, as it was this son of Indian cricket that created history by single-handedly winning matches for India, including 3 World Cups (ICC U19 World Cup 2000, ICC World T20 2007, ICC World Cup 2011).

Here we have our five reasons why we believe Yuvraj deserves a lookback in the team:

1. The records say it all:

The records and numbers never lie they say and this totally true in the case of Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj is the first Indian to hit 100 sixes in T20 cricket, he was the first and the only player to hit 6 sixes in an over in T20Is, he has the fastest T20 50 to his name, he was the first all-rounder to score 300 plus runs and to take 15 wickets in a single World Cup; to name a few records which this man has. Yuvraj has the right experience that can help stabilize the Indian middle order in the limited overs. With 293 ODIs under his name to accompany the 40 T20 internationals, Yuvraj has amassed over 8000 runs in ODIs. He is the most consistent performer for India in T20s. If there is ever a player, who deserves a comeback, it has to be Yuvraj Singh.

Also Read – 30 Amazing facts about Yuvraj Singh – India’s World Cup Hero

2. A genuine all-rounder:

Yuvraj Singh is the right person that Indian team is looking for at the moment. He played the role of being an effective all-rounder who batted very well and bowled more than just part-timers. Yuvraj has 111 ODI wickets to his name to go with 23 T20I wickets. While Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja keep struggling with the longevity of form in all formats of the game, Yuvraj has the experience of playing the same role for more than a decade for the Indian team. No wonder why former Indian Captain Sunil Gavaskar batted for Yuvi’s return before the recent South Africa Series, quoting, “Yuvraj’s bowling and batting will help India. When he is in the form he can bowl few overs and can give the batting line up a little bit of depth it needs. He scored 187 against Gujarat at Mohali, so selectors should not overlook him. As a bowler he can concede more runs, but will score more runs than Axar Patel do. And he will be very good in the field as he is still the top class fielder in the world. India needs horses for courses because they need to win the series to get itself confident before the Test series”.

3. He is still performing:

In Yuvraj’s case, it is not that he is not performing at all. Yuvraj has not hit the purple patch, but he is not in the worst of forms either. Other players who do not have better scores in the recent times are getting a look on in the side. Yuvraj recently hit 93 runs against Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy batting with the same flair that he is known for. He also hit 187 in a Ranji Trophy match against Odisha to secure a draw in the Ranji Trophy 2015-16 season. Clearly, with a batsman who is scoring runs at will, it is totally unjustifiable to keep him out of action. A lot of eyes would be on the selection committee as they will meet to select the T20 squad for the ICC World T20 2016. Yuvraj Singh certainly deserves a look on!

4. A match-winner:

Yuvraj Singh has been a match-winner for the Indian team for so many years. Ever since he shot to limelight with his 84 off 80 balls against Australia in ICC KnockOut 2000, winning the match for India, Yuvraj has shouldered the responsibility of being the most economical all-rounder. His match winning credentials can be justified by the fact that he has been a part of 3 successful World Cup wins. He was the player of the series when India U19 won the U19 World Cup in 2000 and also when India lifted the World Cup in 2011. Yuvi had a phenomenal run in the ICC World T20 in 2007. He has the ability to score well in the big matches and chip in with crucial wickets when the time arises. In the quarter finals against Australia in World Cup 2011, he dished out an unbeaten 57. In the semis of the 2007 World Cup, he scored 70 off 30 against Australia. He plays big against the big sides. All his 3 Test centuries have come against a quality side like Pakistan that has always boasted of strong bowling.

5. Experience of playing in all conditions:

While most of the next generation cricketers are struggling to adapt to overseas conditions, Yuvraj has the experience of playing in all conditions. He hit his maiden ODI ton in Dhaka scoring 102 runs. His second ton was a beautiful innings of 139 against Australia at Sydney. His third and fourth centuries came against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at Colombo and Harare respectively. He also scored a gritty 131 against West Indies at Jamaica. To sum up, 7 of his 13 ODI centuries have come up in overseas conditions while 2 of 3 Test tons have been outside India as well. These are just the big numbers. One cannot forget the little cameos that he has played, be it his 46-ball 83 against Bermuda or unbeaten 54 in the Napier Test against New Zealand in 2007-08. Clearly, he has the right experience to adapt in overseas conditions which makes him more than eligible for a look back in the Indian team.

Also Read – 7 Most memorable performances by Yuvraj Singh