“We wouldn’t have won the 2011 World Cup without Yuvraj”, says Harbhajan Singh

Yuvraj called time on his international cricket career on Monday.

Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh | Getty

There are few people who know Yuvraj Singh better than his Punjab and India teammate Harbhajan Singh. The duo started their cricketing journey in the same period and saw India reach greater heights.

Both of them were part of the national side which won the 2002 Natwest Trophy in England, reached the final of 2003 World Cup in South Africa, defeated Pakistan on their soil for the first time in 2004 and clinched the T20I and ODI World Cups in 2007 and 2011 respectively.

Hence, when Yuvraj called time on his international cricket career on Monday (June 10), Harbhajan was seen speaking whole-heartedly about for his long-time bud. The Turbanator claimed Yuvi would have been world’s best batsman in today’s era had he been in his prime.

“Yuvraj, in his prime, in today’s era, would have been the world’s best batsman,” Harbhajan quoted as saying by Zee News. “He ability was such that he would decimate any bowler at will. If back then five fielders were allowed inside the circle till the 40th over, Yuvraj would have been having a ball today.

“The white ball used to reverse, the surfaces were a lot tougher to score runs on. There was more spin. There always used to be a fielder around third man, which is not the case today.”

Regarded as one of India's greatest white-ball cricketers, some of Yuvraj’s career highlights range from playing a brilliant 69 run knock in the 2002 Natwest final, smashing England's Stuart Broad for six consecutive sixes in the inaugural edition of ICC World T20 to playing an instrumental role in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph.

Yuvraj was Player-of-the-Tournament in the 2011 World Cup. The southpaw had amassed 362 runs at an average of 90.50 and claimed 15 wickets in the 10th edition of the quadrennial event.

“We wouldn’t have won the 2011 World Cup without him. Winning two World Cups (including WorldT20 in 2007) has been his biggest gift to India. Whenever I meet him, I always thank him for getting us those moments, medals which wouldn’t have been possible without him,” Harbhajan said.

"Even today, the No 4 batting position that he’s vacated, hasn’t been filled. We haven’t been able to find a match-winner like him at No 4. He’s been a true champion for Team India. Wherever he’s played in the world, he’s shown that he’s a big match-winner. Talent wise, Yuvraj was by far better than anyone. He was extremely difficult to bowl to. I’ve played alongside so many legends but I would place Yuvraj Singh above many of them,” he continued.

Yuvraj last played for India in 2017, during their tour of the West Indies before being dropped. Although he featured in the last two editions of the Indian Premier League for Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians, he failed to make a mark.

“When I met him last, here in London, he told me: ‘I’m probably done this year.’ I said: ‘How about IPL?’ he said I’ve other things on plate. I’ll look at the other side of the world now,” Harbhajan said. “I didn’t expect him to do it so soon. Whether he was playing for India or not now, doesn’t matter. He gave his best to India. Even if he would’ve played 10-15 games more, and failed in them, he would’ve still been a legend. He’s already built a big legacy for himself, which will be difficult to fill.

“He had messaged me in the morning about this. I told him: ‘So, the day has come.’ He said: ‘Yes.’ It’s an emotional moment for us. When we started playing cricket, we never thought that there will be a day when we would have to kiss it goodbye. We used to live for the game.

“That wouldn’t be a part of him anymore. People say that ‘you’ll have a good ‘second innings,’ but you can’t have the same fun what you had while you were there in the middle. I can guarantee you as a player that the best moments of a player come when he/she is playing in the middle. Like other retired players, he’s always going to miss the game. What he’s achieved will remain in everyone’s mind.”

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 11 Jun, 2019

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