Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh on Friday (March 1) rubbished reports claiming that he would be contesting elections from Gurdaspur, Punjab.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest white-ball cricketers, Yuvraj represented India in 304 ODIs, scoring 8701 at an average of 36.56 with 14 centuries and 52 fifties. He was the Player-of-the-Tournament in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph.
The southpaw played 58 T20Is and amassed 1177 runs. He was instrumental in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup title win as well.
After his retirement from international cricket in 2019, Yuvraj Singh is very active off the field with his charitable work. He also runs a foundation named ‘YouWeCan’, which not only helps people fight cancer but also supports underprivileged kids.
Taking to social media platform X, Yuvraj made it clear that he will continue to support and help the needy people but will not be contesting elections.
"Contrary to media reports, I'm not contesting elections from Gurdaspur. My passion lies in supporting and helping people in various capacities, and I will continue to do so through my foundation @YOUWECAN. Let's continue making a difference together to the best of our abilities," he wrote.
Earlier this year, Yuvraj Singh expressed his desire to play the mentorship role to help the Indian cricket team mentally prepare for future challenges.
It's been more than a decade since Team India last won a global title. After the Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, the side has lost as many as five ICC event finals and bowed out in the semi-finals on numerous occasions.
Last year, the Men in Blue had a great chance to end the ICC trophy drought but they once again failed to cross the final hurdle. The Rohit Sharma-led side won all the league-stage matches and the semi-final before losing the title clash of the Cricket World Cup to Australia in Ahmedabad.
“I feel, yes, there is something (missing). When the big moment comes, our physical preparation is there, but mentally we need to make those decisions,” Yuvraj had said while inaugurating 'Yuvraj Centres of Excellence' at Merlin Rise in Kolkata.
"I think that is something I was talking about -- motivating the young guys, teaching them how to handle pressure and play their game. That's been our challenge. We have the game, and we have guys who can bat under pressure, but the whole team has to do that, not just one or two guys.
"Mentoring is something I love to do. In the coming years, when my kids are settled, I want to give back to cricket and help the young guys get better. I think we face a lot of mental challenges in big tournaments. I believe in the mental aspect, I can really come in and work with these guys in the future.
"I feel that I can contribute a lot, especially in the middle order. I have the confidence to work with the young guys, addressing not only their technique but also the mental challenges that come with cricket," he added.
