Yuvraj Singh making a comeback to the Indian team is a far-fetched possibility as of now. Ever since recovering from cancer, the southpaw has been given ample chances to cement his place in the team. But barring few knocks like the 150 against England on his ODI comeback last year, one of India’s greatest ever match-winners has failed to grab the opportunity.
With the next World Cup just a few months away, time is running out for Yuvraj to press his claim for a spot in the team. The veteran batsman is well towards the fag end of his career and is coping criticism every day for his scratchy showing with the bat.
The two-time World Cup-winning team player made a fairy-tale return to the Indian side during the One-day International series against England in 2017. He went on to play his career-best knock of 150 during that series. The 50-over competition was his first ODI series in four years.
However, things only went downhill for him from thereon. He had a poor 2017 Champions Trophy in England and Wales where he aggregated 105 runs in four innings.
Eventually, it was followed by yet another dismal outing against Windies. He also failed the mandatory Yo-Yo test thrice which reportedly made the national selectors ignore the experienced campaigner. What further hurt his chances were his dismal showing in the last IPL. Yuvraj managed just 65 runs in 8 games for Kings XI Punjab. Not surprisingly, the franchise released him last month. And Yuvraj was looking set to miss an IPL deal after going unsold in the first round before being signed by Mumbai Indians.
Delighted with the lifeline, Yuvraj is now hopeful of delivering in the IPL this time. He also made it clear that he would take a call on his retirement only after the 2019 World Cup, clearly hinting that he wants to play the tournament.
“Hopefully in this season I will be able to deliver. There is fire in the belly, I am keen to be competitive. The hunger is there, I am not playing for the sake of playing. I am playing because I want to play and I am passionate about playing. I will take a call after the 2019 World Cup. I will take stock about where my life is headed. At the moment the next three four months are crucial for me in cricket. I want to just focus on that,” he added.
