His is not a story, nor a tale or a narrative. He is the reason behind India’s First World Cup title in nearly three decades, World Cup being a phase in which he could only foresee darkness yet he kept in him a desire to win the Cup, for the team, for Sachin, for the billion people at home.
As India inched closer to their second World Cup victory and their third World Cup Final, a monstrous tumor, precisely 15 cm x 11cm x 13 cm was growing within Yuvraj Singh pressing him in the lung and artery. Yuvraj couldn’t sleep, he vomited blood, he was breathless, he was sick, very sick, and he kept winning man-of-the-match awards throughout the World Cup, winning India games both with the bat and the bowl. Later the doctor told him he could have died of heart attack because the artery was being squeezed and nobody would have known he had the dreaded C.
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So it becomes much more than a story to be told, for it is the unfolding of the biggest moment in a sportsman’s career at the backdrop of something even Yuvraj couldn’t see clearly. He had no idea what would the unseen do to him.
It is a question that haunts me after reflecting onYuvraj’s autobiography “The Test of My Life”: How would I have reacted if it was me or my family or my friend? And then the entire World Cup almost inevitably and uncontrollably keeps on playing in a loop on my mind and Yuvraj suddenly becomes so much more special than a World Cup man-of-the-tournament recipient. We all remember Yuvraj getting treated during his innings against West Indies, was that because he couldn’t breathe?
Perhaps it was almost destined then at the Barabati stadium that Dhoni be Yuvraj’s partner as he had been famously, when Yuvi hit six sixes in an over and when Dhoni won India the World Cup final that had belonged to Yuvraj. When Yuvraj Singh crossed his 50, Rohit Sharma tweeted: "Yuvraj and Dhoni looking good out in the middle. Are we in for a vintage Dhoni/Yuvi partnership". Dhoni yet again became witness toYuvraj not only surpassing his nearly a decade and a half old previous best but went on to score his maiden 150, in his first century in 6 years (even then MS was his partner).When he reached the 3-digit mark Yuvraj simply opened his arms and looked to the skies, almost in slow motion, it looked like he wanted to pause the match and soak all that was happening. It reflected how much it meant to him. This wasn’t the old Yuvraj who would catch fliers at point, this was an old warrior returning back to his trade still reasonably fit and a decent fielder.
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"When I came back from cancer it was hard work. I was not performing and after being dropped I thought (about) whether I wanted to continue or not. I don't read newspapers; neither do I watch television. I don't like to put too much pressure on myself. I had a good run in the Ranji Trophy, so was just waiting to make it count big," Yuvraj said, crediting `hard work' for his recent success.
It is not Yuvraj’s success over cancer alone, it is the success of a mother, a woman who gave re-birth to his child, of a father who wanted to continue his dream through his son, it is the victory of innumerable unknown faces of Indian cricket, the physios, the trainers who didn't rest, and didn't let Yuvraj become lazy on his routine; of team of doctors who woke up at 4am,who took great efforts to find the right sleeping pill before a World Cup final; of team-mates who would call only to tell stories that will raise his spirits; and yes, of administrators and managers, it is the victory of the faith that every cancer patient survives on that cancer is not the end of the road and the best may still lie ahead, it is the victory of hope when a man amidst distress will look at Yuvraj and find.
Back in the side only to add a little bit of experience in the middle order, only a few would have expected of Yuvi the kind of innings he eventually produced. He would drive, he would cut, he would pull and we saw the lion roar again, we saw the emotional tweets, we saw the crowds cheering for their hero, there was nostalgia, there was emotion, the atmosphere was so typical of Hindi Cinema but the best part- it was all happening in real.
Who knows Yuvraj might very well play a key role in the upcoming Champion’s Trophy and maybe another World Cup?
For we all know Yuvraj is a C for Champion.
