- By Vishal Pushkar
- Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:19 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Yograj Singh Podcast: Yuvraj Singh's legacy as one of India's finest middle-order batters is etched in cricket history, not just for his immense talent but also for his unwavering commitment to the sport and his country. His heroic performances in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, despite battling undiagnosed cancer, remain one of the most inspiring tales in cricket. Yuvraj's contributions were pivotal in India's triumph, earning him the well-deserved Player of the Series award.
Post-tournament, his diagnosis of a rare germ cell cancer shocked the cricketing world. While he courageously returned to the field after treatment, his career with the Indian team never quite regained its earlier glory.
Yuvraj's father, Yograj Singh, shared a poignant sentiment in a podcast, expressing that he would have been proud even if Yuvraj had sacrificed his life for India during the World Cup.
"For our country, if Yuvraj Singh had died from cancer and had won India the World Cup, I would have been a proud father. I still am very proud of him. I have told him this over the phone as well. I wanted him to play even when he was spitting blood. I told him, 'Don't worry, you won't die. Win this World Cup for India,'" Yograj said on Unfiltered by Samdish podcast.
Yograj also stated that if his son worked even 10 per cent of his father, he would have a become a 'great'.
"Yuvraj Singh, if he had worked even 10 percent like his father, he would have become a great cricketer," Yograj said.
In India's 2011 World Cup winning campaign, Yuvraj smashed 362 runs at an average of 90.50 and a strike-rate of 86.19, playing a crucial role in the team's title-winning show. He had a few appearances for India the following years after recovering from lung cancer before hanging up his boots in 2019.