Yuvraj Singh is one of the most talented and successful cricketers to have played for India. Born on 12 December 1981 in Chandigarh, India, Yuvraj started playing cricket at an early age and quickly rose to become a key member of the Indian national team.
Yuvraj made his international debut for India in October 2000 in an ODI against Kenya. His career didn’t get off to an impressive start, but he showed glimpses of the kind of talent that would come to the fore in the years to come.
Over the next few years, Yuvraj became a regular member of the Indian team and began to make a name for himself as a big-hitting middle-order batsman and a handy left-arm spinner.
One of the highlights of Yuvraj’s career came in the 2002 NatWest Trophy final against England.
India were chasing a target of 326, and were struggling at 146/5 when Yuvraj came to the crease. He played a sensational knock of 69 runs in just 63 balls, which included 3 fours and 4 sixes, helping India win the match by 2 wickets.
After this Yuvraj’s career took off and he became an important member of the Indian team in all formats of the game.
He played a key role in India’s successful campaign at the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, where he was named player of the tournament.
He scored 148 runs in the tournament and took 6 wickets, including a brilliant 12-ball 50 against England in the group stage.
Yuvraj played a key role in India’s victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. He scored 362 runs in the tournament and took 15 wickets, including 4 Man of the Match awards. He was also named Player of the Tournament for his excellent all-round performance.
However, Yuvraj’s career was not without challenges. In 2012, he was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer and had to take a break from cricket for treatment. He returned to the game after a successful recovery and continued to play for India until 2017.
Overall, Yuvraj played 304 international matches for India, scoring 11,778 runs and taking 148 wickets.
He also played in various domestic T20 leagues including the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he played for Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors India, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians.
Yuvraj was known for his aggressive batting, electric fielding and useful left-arm spin. He was a charismatic personality off the field as well and was adored by fans across the world.
After retiring from international cricket in 2019, Yuvraj continued to play in domestic T20 leagues and remains a popular figure in the cricketing world.