Mumbai, Aug 11: The day Yuvraj Singh was diagnosed with cancer, he had told himself, “One day I would come back and play for India again”. Within a year, he has lived up to his words by making it to India’s Twenty20 squad for the home series against New Zealand and the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.
After undergoing treatment for a rare germ-cell cancer for two months in the USA, Yuvraj has been doing the hard yards at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) since the last six weeks. On hearing the news of his selection, Yuvraj was elated and emotional at the same time.
“However much I had to go through with the cancer, I kept the faith because I wanted to step on the field again one day. Today I've got the news that I am going to be stepping on the field again. I am ecstatic. I can't wait to step on the field and wave the Indian flag,” beamed Yuvraj, adding this selection felt "like being selected for India for the first time."
When asked if he had expected to get a call back into the national team, Yuvraj said he was encouraged with the positive recovery reports from the NCA. However, the scepticism around him made him unsure about his selection chances.
“Everyone was talking about whether I should be picked or not, so I wasn't sure. I heard the [selection] news on the TV. It is as if I was being picked for India again – that same feeling that I can't explain,” he said.
Yuvraj denied being in touch with the selectors during the period he’s been training at the NCA and said the fitness reports submitted by the academy to the BCCI would have raised their confidence in him. He thanked the BCCI for being “very supportive” right through his battle with the deadly disease and also the selectors for showing "immense confidence in me. I want to thank a lot of people, friends, colleagues, doctors, physios and trainers for this day."
Yuvraj began his recovery programme with a light two-week training regime “to get into that training mode.” He said his first three weeks at the NCA "were the toughest because the body was not used to the pain you get from training.”
However, now that his body has once again adapted to the physical training regime, Yuvraj is confident of being fit enough to lay foot on the cricket field again.
“After six weeks of training, I think I am now in good shape. I have another month or so to go for the World T20 so this month is going to be very crucial for me getting ready."
Yuvraj will play a few domestic matches to get some match practice before he dons the India jersey again. He feels Twenty20 is the best format to make a comeback in. "ODIs and Tests are tougher on the body, but T20 is the place to start. I hope to get stronger for longer formats with time."
