Shubman Gill Is A Fearless Game-Changer

Exclusive Interview - Yuvraj Singh, Player Of The Tournament, 2011 World Cup

- RIYAD MATHEW

On August 25, Yuvraj Singh shared a picture of his family on his social media accounts and announced: "Sleepless nights have become a lot more joyful as we welcome our little princess Aura...." In the photo, Yuvraj's wife, actor Hazel Keech, could be seen holding their son Orion, born a year ago, while Aura rested peacefully on daddy's chest, sucking at a feeding bottle. Hazel smiled for camera, while Yuvraj had an aura of contentedness.

Yuvraj became a serious contender for the India cap on the basis of his impresssive performance for the national under-19 team led by Mohammad Kaif, with whom he would later have a scintillating partnership at Lord's that helped India win the final of the NatWest Series against England in 2002. Yuvraj hit a breezy 69 at more than run-a-ball and Kaif remained not out with an even quicker 87. Since then, Yuvraj has been part of several Indian conquests, and has won seven player of the series awards in ODI cricket. He hit the then fastest fifty in a T20 international in the 2007 World Cup (12 balls), in the course of which he took England's Stuart Broad apart by hitting six sixes in an over.

The man with the golden arm was made of steel. In the 2011 World Cup in India, while battling breathlessness, vomiting blood and poor form, he powered his country to the title 28 years after Kapil's Devils ruled Lord's. His returns: 362 runs at 90.50 and 15 wickets at an economy rate of 5 on flat subcontinent wickets. Not to mention the catches and electric stops on the field. After his treatment for lung cancer in the US got over in March 2012, he made a return to cricket against New Zealand later that year. In 2014, Royal Challengers Bangalore paid a then record ₹14 crore to hire him; Delhi Daredevils paid an additional ₹2 crore to get him the following year. He won the IPL with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016.