Yuvraj Singh: I am getting better and better with each off-season

On the century

I am feeling very good. It’s always amazing to get a hundred. It’s the first game of my season,and everything fell in place. I’d worked quite hard in the off-season and I was looking good,I was confident. I’ve been working on my batting and skills in the last couple of weeks. I just wanted to take some time at the start and attack when I needed to.

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On pacing the innings

I think most of my centuries are like this. I take a few balls to get to 30-35 and then try and up the tempo. Most of my innings have been like that,because I’m a middle-order batsman and I can’t just go in and start hitting. I have to play with responsibility,have to see my team has a good total on the board. So I try and bat till the end,and that’s how I’ve batted all my career I guess.

On the bowling

It was a complete international attack. (Andre) Russell has obviously played for West Indies,(Ronsford) Beaton – that kid looks really special. He looks the future of West Indies fast bowling. He reminded me of Curtly Ambrose. I think he has a lot of potential,and I think they had a very good attack. It wasn’t an easy-going attack which you get in the ‘A’ side. I’m very happy with the way I batted,very happy with the way I left the ball,happy with the way I hit the ball.

On shedding kilos

Yeah,I shed a few kilos. I wasn’t that heavy when I went. I just wanted to get my sharpness on the field. I worked on a couple of things,running between the wickets,getting quicker,my strength. I’m definitely feeling a lot stronger and quicker on the ground,I’m moving quickly. So I was always a quick runner,quick between the wickets,and a good fielder. So I just worked on those aspects and,I’m feeling much better.

On off-season training

I haven’t played much over the last four-five months. Not after the IPL. The body has gone through a lot. You just can’t go through such a disease and come back and say ‘okay,I’m going to be a 100 percent.’ And it’s just getting better and better,with every off-season. The doctors said it would take me about a year to get fully fit. I was focused on training,on my weaknesses — my lung capacity,diet — in my off-season with Tim Exeter.

On not being in the squad for four-day games

I got an opportunity to play (in the one-dayers). That’s a huge thing for me. I don’t know about four-day cricket,Test matches,I’m just happy I’m playing and scoring runs. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I got an opportunity and I scored runs.