Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh is an Indian cricketer, born to a starry Punjabi family. He is the son of former Indian fast bowler Yograj Singh Yograj Singh Bhagsingh Bhandal is a former Indian >> Read More... , who is also a Punjabi actor, and Shabnam Singh, who “gave birth to him again”, as Yuvraj fondly says. Yuvraj’s life is one that evokes inspiration and bleeds encouragement on various levels. After all, which normal human being can battle cancer while coming out top in a world championship, that too in an arduous game that is cricket? The answer is Yuvraj. Initially an aficionado of tennis and roller skating, Yuvraj was led into cricket by his father, who threw away the medal he had won in the National Under-14 Roller Skating Championship. He was also a child star and did short roles in Mehndi Sagna Di and Putt Sardara. Yuvraj’s career in cricket started from the Punjab U-16 team at the tender age of 13. His first class debut was in late 1997 against Orissa. He showed impressive skills as a batsman in the following years and was adjudged as the Player of the Tournament in the ICC Under-19 World Cup Championship in 1999-2000, where India won under the watchful captaincy of Mohammad Kaif.

This earned him a call-up to the national squad. Yuvraj made his international debut against Kenya in the pre-quarterfinal of the ICC KnockOut Trophy in 2000 as part of the Indian team. Since 2001, Yuvraj’s career saw ups and downs as he scored well in some and gave average-to-poor performances in others. His Achilles heel were test matches, and he was dropped from the test team as well. He kept up with formidable performances in ODIs and Twenty 20 matches. His next call to fame was the inaugural ICC World Twenty 20 Championship, where he gave stellar performances, which included his record of hitting 6 sixes in an over against Stuart Broad in the match against England, which allowed him to score the fastest fifty in a Twenty20 game, off just 12 balls, and it was the fastest in any form of international cricket.

He became the first Indian to hit over 100 sixes in the tournament, and it was the fourth time in history that six sixes were hit in an over in senior cricket. Yuvraj achieved all of these while he was battling cancer (unknowingly at that time). After the tournament, it was revealed that he had been diagnosed with a carcinogenic tumor in his left lung. Yuvraj fought the battle bravely with the support of his mother and emerged victorious in March 2012 when the third and final cycle of chemotherapy was finished, and he returned to India in April. He nursed himself back to health and slowly returned to form. After an incredible show in the domestic season, he has earned himself a recall for 3 Twenty20 International matches which will be played in Australia in 2016.