Avoid putting pressure on Yuvraj,says Muralitharan

Spin legend Muthiah Muralitharan urged the media to exercise restraint and avoid putting pressure on Yuvraj Singh as the Indian batsman was going through a bad phase.

8216;Yuvraj is a great batsman. All cricketers go through bad phases. I think the media has to be careful in criticizing him. This has put a lot of pressure on him and he is reacting affecting his batting. But he will certainly make an impact at the 2011 World Cup,8221; he said.

Muralitharan was speaking on the sidelines of a function here,where he was felicitated for his 800 8216;Test wicket feat.

In the just concluded ODI series in Sri Lanka,Yuvraj had averaged only 18.75,having scored 75 runs in four matches with 38 as his highest score.