The cricketing world anxiously awaits the Twenty20 contest between India and New Zealand here on Saturday, says a report in The Hindu, adding that for, staging a comeback to the fold would be a valiant son of the game, who nearly got caught in the vice-like grip of the Grim Reaper, but shook himself free after a pretty close call.
Yuvraj Singh is no ordinary cricketer, half a dozen sixes off a Stuart Broad over in the 2007 World T20 tournament eliciting ecstasy in equal measure as Nadia Comaneci’s perfect 10 at the 1976 Montreal Olympics perhaps, if not for the exploit’s enormity itself. Few would doubt the feisty southpaw’s attitude but a pause to ponder would be worthwhile whether it’s too early to thrust him into the T20 cauldron or if he should have been allowed more time to recoup sufficiently, after coming within hand-shaking distance with death.
“I watched Yuvraj at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore about a fortnight ago,” said V.V.S. Laxman. “Not only did he look in good shape physically and mentally, he was also hitting the ball well. Most importantly, he was hungry again to contribute to the team. I was chatting with him when he was undergoing treatment in the US. The mental strength in his approach to life came through very clearly,” the former player noted.
Meanwhile Indian Express writes that Yuvraj Singh takes the centre stage. “Not just for the fact that the left-hander is making his comeback in Team India colours for the first time since November last year, but mainly because curtains have finally fallen on Yuvraj’s testing times. And it now rises on his second cricketing life.He withstood huge physical discomfort during the 2011 World Cup, but still emerged as the player of the tournament for India. Later that year, he was diagnosed with cancer. But the 30-year-old refused to budge, winning the battle of his life. Now, in Vizag with the T20 side, Yuvraj is ready to face his first international delivery on Saturday. Against New Zealand in the first of two T20s,” says the report.
“Can’t describe in words how I’m feeling right now,” Yuvraj said, speaking to The Indian Express on a rainy Thursday. “I just can’t wait anymore. When I arrived in Vizag this morning, it was raining and our practice was cancelled. I was disappointed. I really want to play.” With no training, Yuvraj hit the gym hard at the ACA-VDCA Stadium — for close to 90 minutes. So what does it feel like to be able to hit those cover drives again? Yuvraj, with tongue firmly in cheek, answered. “Arrey pehele tabiyat ke bare mein pooch, phir cricket ke baare mein baat karenge.” Cricket, after all, can mean just that much.
Meanwhile in an interview to The Times Of India, Yuvraj says that h was a happy-go-lucky guy who believed in going with the flow. “I was always tense about my batting, bowling and the game. However, everything changed after I was diagnosed with cancer. It was like a setback. Now, I am happy to breathe and eat normally again. The battle has made me stronger. I'm not going to stress about my performance anymore. I don't know how I will play, but I can assure you that I will give my 100 per cent to it,” says Yuvi, adding that there were times when he feared that he wouldn’t make it, especially when chemotherapy started affecting his body.
“But eventually, I was confident that I will overcome it. My mother has been a great support. She used to get food for me at the hospital. My friends didn't pity me, they motivated me. When I was on medication though, I used to feel dejected and cry a lot,” says Yuvraj, adding that he doesn’t neglect his health anymore.
Yuvraj says in the interview that initially he was nervous and was struggling to hit the ball. “It's been three months of intense training and I'm improving. The more I play, the more I get better. I used to watch my matches in the hospital and get angry. It was Anil (Kumble) who asked me to stop watching cricket and take care of my health. When I came back, I wanted to play. But I used to start panting after climbing just three steps. I am working on it. I don't know how I will perform, but getting on the field will be a huge achievement and I can't wait to do it.”
