Yuvraj Singh underlined his goals and targets after being appointed as the assistant and batting coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC) franchise ahead of the IPL 2027 season. He will be working with Sourav Ganguly, who has been appointed as the head coach.
Yuvraj Singh is clear about what he wants to achieve with Delhi Capitals: build a team that believes in itself, competes under pressure, and has the conviction to win the championship.
Revealing how the opportunity came about, Yuvraj said, as quoted by ANI, “Dada told me, ‘Would you be my assistant?’ And I was like, ‘I have been your assistant for the last 25 years, so I will probably be doing the same job!’ I was very happy to do it. I have been building myself up over the last three to four years for this opportunity. I have worked with players individually, but being part of the entire team environment will be a different experience, and I’m really excited about it.”
Yuvraj made his India debut in 2000 under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy and played his initial few years for the Men in Blue under Ganguly’s tutelage.
“The best thing I learned from Dada was how to create a good team environment. When he was captain and I made my debut, he kept us together. He made us believe that we could become a great team and win tournaments outside India. He has always been like a big brother to me, whether it was helping me understand selection, mentoring me, or showing me what it takes to become a good international cricketer. I am looking forward to working with him, understanding his insights and sharing mine,” he said.
Yuvraj provides a wealth of stage performance experience. He feels that developing players' self-confidence will be essential to his coaching style.
“At this level, everybody is skilled and brings something different to the table. But I come from a place where self-belief is extremely important. If a franchise has selected you and given you a position in the squad, it means they believe in you. You have to believe that you belong there. That comes through practice, awareness of the game, and playing matches. We will work on these things as a team,” he said.
Yuvraj Singh expressed confidence in DC’s batting resources and highlighted the importance of having the right combination and ensuring that the team is equipped for all conditions.
“KL Rahul is a solid player whom I have watched for a long time, and Tristan Stubbs is very exciting. There are also players like Sameer Rizvi and Ashutosh Sharma, who are very good hitters. We have good batting resources, but we need to work on the right team combination and make the side stronger and more versatile, with deeper batting, quality bowling, and good fielding. Every aspect of the game matters,” he said.
Yuvraj is motivated to help the Delhi Capitals enter the forthcoming season with a fresh sense of purpose. While qualification remains the current goal, he feels the team should focus on the ultimate prize.
“We definitely have the ability, and that is why Dada and I are coming in—to bring that belief back. Our first target is to qualify, but we are here to win the championship, and I do not see why we cannot do that. Just because it has not happened in the past does not mean it cannot happen in the future. We want to build a squad and an energy that is ready to fight, take on any opposition, and perform in any situation,” he said.
Yuvraj's responsibilities extend beyond providing technical advice or enhancing individual performances. It's important to prepare the players to be resilient, have faith in their skills, and give the team their all.
“I want to help the boys play better cricket, perform under pressure, and build a squad that believes in itself. I’m here to put my heart and soul into the franchise. Hopefully, with the contribution of the entire team management and the players, we can take Delhi Capitals forward, qualify for the playoffs, and then go on to win the championship,” he added.
Yuvraj Singh has been associated with Delhi Capitals in the past, having played one season of IPL in 2015. Yuvraj featured in 304 ODIs, 40 Tests, and 58 T20Is for India and won the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ICC World Cup with the Indian team.
He also had a very good IPL career, with 2750 runs and 36 wickets to his name. He is one of the few bowlers with more than one hat-trick in the IPL and won the title with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016.
(ANI inputs)
