Journalism of Courage
I can promise one thing to all those whove gathered here, said the man of the hour,lowering his tone to a hush. If given a chance to play international cricket again,especially Tests,you will see a different Yuvraj in action. Also read: In ‘most critical phase of career’,Yuvraj Singh prepares to start from scratch A Yuvraj that plays his cricket without fear of failure. A Yuvraj who plays with freedom.
Shaven skull notwithstanding,there was something naked about Yuvraj and his statements that day. Also read: I am really confident of making a comeback: Yuvraj Singh It was mid-way through April 2012,a month since he had been discharged from hospital in Indianapolis,three months since he had been diagnosed with cancer and five since he had played a Test match in what had been a start-stop long-format career. Also read: Big guns named in India ‘A’ team against West Indies ‘A’
That he was one of the finest short-format cricketers of this generation was not in doubt. Also read: Selection of seniors in India A is a show of both intent,faith But there he was now,exactly a year since his finest hour had unraveled at the Wankhede,sitting in the presence of a hundred-odd journalists men and women who had for long tried to work out just why Yuvraj was a white-flannel failure. Also read: All eyes on Yuvraj Singh as India A take on West Indies A
After this (the battle with cancer) I will not spend sleepless nights worrying about kya karna hai,kya nahi karna hai,you know, he said. I know I will be a lot more relaxed in my approach from here on. One step at a time. Also read: Injured Praveen Kumar,Irfan Pathan ruled of India A series against West Indies
Yuvraj got his chance soon enough,when he was selected in the Test squad for Englands tour of India in late November.
But thats where the fairytale ended. The great puzzle of his Test career remained unsolved,and he lost his place midway through the series. After a string of scores reading 2,9,23,61,32,30,3 and 0 in the ODIs that followed,he was out of India blues too.
With that,it looked all but over. From the drop zone,a place he was joined in by every esteemed compatriot of his era bar Sachin Tendulkar,Yuvraj watched kids 10 years younger sealing their Test and one-day slots. India had moved on from the whos who of the World Cup winning side with ease. It was also said that the head coach had pleaded with the selectors to move on from the Sehwags,Gambhirs,Zaheers and Yuvrajs of the world.
The selectors,over the months that followed,seemed to be following that maxim. Until,on the eve of a new season,they dangled a lifeline at all of them by picking them in the India A squad. Yuvraj,unlike the other three,wont get a chance in the four-day games against West Indies A. But he will lead the one-day squad over three games over the course of the week,starting Sunday. While there was a touch of romance to his previous comeback,this one if it indeed morphs into an India return looks like a purely pragmatic move by the selectors.
While Indias ODI team has tasted only success since Yuvrajs axing winning the Champions Trophy,a tri-series in the West Indies and a bilateral series in Zimbabwe the middle order isnt yet set in stone. Suresh Raina has scored just one half-century in 12 innings. Dinesh Karthik,who has also batted 12 times in that period,has averaged 31.88 and scored at a strike rate of 70.44. Neither has shut the door on Yuvraj.
And in his time out of the team,Yuvraj went and worked on the one aspect of his game that seemed to have diminished visibly,if understandably,since his return from illness,by spending six weeks at a rigorous fitness camp in France. The selectors must have taken note of that as well.
I have never seen him so fit or so eager, says India A coach Lalchand Rajput. He has worked very hard to improve his fitness. Now he is much more motivated and focussed. The results,I am sure,will show on the field. That remains to be seen,but once again,Yuvraj has the chance to say that he belongs.
Praveen,Irfan out
Bangalore: Pacers Praveen Kumar and Irfan Pathan were today ruled out of India A teams unofficial ODI series against the visiting West Indies A side which begins on Saturday due to injuries. Siddharth Kaul and R Vinay Kumar have been drafted in the team in place of them,the BCCI said.
