Indian cricketers compelled to play a lot of times as they fear losing their place, claims Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj expects things to improve with Sourav Ganguly taking charge as the BCCI president.

Yuvraj Singh | Getty

Former batsman Yuvraj Singh has alleged that a lot of times Indian cricketers feel compelled to play despite not being in an ideal condition as they live with the fear of losing their place.

Read Also: MSK Prasad-led selection committee not up to the mark, feels Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj, who called time on his international career earlier this year, also called for having a players association, something that has already been done with the formation of Indian Cricketers’ Association as mandated by the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha committee.

“We deserve it. Because there are a lot of times we have been asked to play cricket that we don’t want to. We have to play with the pressure that if we don’t play we will be thrown out,” Yuvraj told reporters in Mumbai on Monday (November 4).

“That pressure has to go off the players that even if they are tired or fatigued or carrying injuries, they have to play,” he added.

Yuvraj then shared the example of Australia’s Glenn Maxwell, who recently took a break from cricket to sort out "mental health difficulties" with the backing of his board (Cricket Australia).

“That support should be given to the players. We see outside India, if players are fatigued and tired mentally, like is the case with (Glenn) Maxwell, he has taken a break because he is feeling it. Our players can’t do that because they fear they may lose their place. So a players’ association is very important,” the southpaw remarked.

For Indian cricketers, Yuvraj now hopes that things will improve with Sourav Ganguly taking charge as the BCCI president.

“I see great things happening to Indian cricket with Sourav as President. Cricket, from the administration point of view, and the cricketers’ point of view are two different things,” the 37-year-old said.

“Someone, who has been a very successful captain, will run cricket from a players point of view where cricketer’s concerns can be heard. It would not happen earlier. They would make decisions and cricketers were not heard. Now he will listen to what cricketers want,” he explained.

(With PTI inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 05 Nov, 2019

    Share Via