World Cup-winning former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has decided to come out of retirement. The Punjab Cricket Association requested him to do so more than a year after he retired, and he has finally given in to that request.
He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket last June.
PUNJAB CRICKET ASSOCIATION’S REQUEST
PCA secretary Puneet Bali was the first person to approach Yuvraj. He offered him to come out of retirement for the benefit of Punjab cricket. The 38-year-old has agreed to resume for the State at least in the T20 format.
“I was done with domestic cricket, though I did want to continue to play in other domestic franchise-based leagues worldwide if I got permission from the BCCI.
“But I also couldn’t ignore Mr Bali’s request. I gave it a lot of thought, for nearly three or four weeks, and it was almost as if I didn’t even have to make a conscious decision in the end,” Yuvraj was quoted saying.
Bali told PTI that the Player of the Tournament at the 2011 World Cup has written to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly in this regard.
“I know he has written a letter to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly wanting to come out of retirement,” he stated.
“We want him in the team and the way he mentored four young boys Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Prabh Simran Singh and Anmolpreet Singh was exceptional. I told him that please give at least one more year of your life to Punjab cricket,” he said.
Delighted with chatter around his comeback, Bali said, “Punjab cricket needs him. He still has a lot to give as player and mentor. What I know is that he had written to dada two weeks ago. The response must have come by now.”
During his long international career, Yuvraj regaled all with his explosive batting, brilliant fielding and his more than handy left-arm spin bowling.
YUVRAJ’S FAMILY
Yuvraj’s mother Shabnam Singh has stated that he still retains the passion for the game.
“He is coming back (from Dubai) in a couple of days time and then we are going to have a long chat around all of this. Whatever you are hearing must be true,” Shabnam told PTI.
When contacted by PTI, his father Yograj Singh said, “He retired after 20 years of competitive cricket last year and it was his personal decision which I didn’t interfere. But even then I felt that he shouldn’t have retired.”
“He is a giver. In these times, in scorching heat, he trained Shubman, Prabh and Abhishek for five hours each day.
“The way he hit sixes at the new PCA stadium in Mullanpur, everyone wanted him to come back. If he plays at least three years for Punjab, he will give back at two 2 world-class players to Indian cricket. So he must play.”