#NoMatterWhat - Chronicling Yuvraj Singh's inspiring resurgence from cancer

Yuvraj Singh was at the peak of his powers during the 2011 World Cup

The stage was set at the Wankhede Stadium. India were playing Sri Lanka for the 2011 ICC World Cup. Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni had taken India to the brink of the title. When Dhoni smashed Nuwan Kulasekara into the gallery, the entire stadium erupted.

Even though the spotlight was on the captain, arguably the most satisfied man on the planet would have been Yuvraj who was at the non-striker’s end. Yuvraj had scored more than 350 runs and scalped 15 wickets and was named the Player of the Tournament.

Clearly at the peak of his career, his stellar form was later rewarded by the Indian selectors by naming him in the test squad going to England. It seemed as if nothing could go wrong for Yuvraj or for India.

But, later that year, he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour. News emerged that he had played through lung pain along with nausea and frequent vomiting. However, giving up was never in his blood.

Combating health complications and the intense scrutiny of the Indian fans, the Punjabi lad never faltered amidst the rising expectations to ensure that more than a billion Indians all over the world could taste the elixir of another World Cup triumph after 28 long years of waiting.

The startling development engulfed millions of cricket fans with extreme emotions. There were even reports of numerous Pakistanis praying for his immediate recovery. On an unrelated note, the Indian team's performances too began to spiral into an abyss.

Yuvraj was admitted to the Cancer Research Institute in Boston and underwent chemotherapy. Renowned oncologist Dr Lawrence Einhorn also treated him at the Bren Simon Cancer Centre in Indianapolis. Most of the doctors who looked after him felt that he could never play cricket again.

Even the Indian media and various legendary cricketers conceded that a comeback was highly unlikely. This was also partly due to the fact that several young players were starting to show their mettle at the international level.

But, the swashbuckling southpaw refused to accept that his career had hurtled towards a premature end. After a gruelling 2-month period of chemotherapy, Yuvraj's health gradually began to improve. When he was spotted in the stadium during an IPL Match in 2012, he was hardly recognizable with his head completely shaven and the conspicuous absence of the trademark languidity in his gait.

Yuvraj sending his fans a positive message from the hospital

Even though he assured everyone that his recovery was on track, doubts still lingered on whether he could actually put on the Indian jersey again. Later, reminscing about the most demanding time of his life, Yuvraj said, "There was a time when I couldn't drink a basic thing like water. For almost three months during my chemo, I couldn't drink water. My body used to crave it and the moment I used to drink it I would throw up. So coming back from there I know the value of small things like breathing with both the lungs, because for a very long time I didn't do that."

Drawing inspiration from Cricket

Cricket was deeply entrenched in every move that he made during the aftermath of his treatment. Struggling with the after-effects of the cancer, Yuvraj strode on bravely and launched his comeback bid.

Successfully attaining match-fitness, he was picked for the 2012 ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka. Even though he could not impress with the bat, he ended the tournament as the leading wicket-taker for India. He reinforced his reputation with a staggering 241-ball 208 in a Duleep Trophy encounter against Central Zone in Hyderabad.

The attacking stroke-play was back and the convinced selectors picked him for the home test series against England. Other than a vital 74 in the Ahmedabad test which India went on to win, his performances began to dwindle.

Soon, he was dropped from the test side. But, this did not deter his approach to cricket. His selection in the T20 squad for the series against the visiting Pakistanis raised some eyebrows.

However, he answered his critics with a match-winning 36-ball 72 which contained 7 sixes and helped India level the series. His inconsistent form and the emergence of limited-overs specialists meant that he was dropped from the ODI format too.

After a sequence of rigorous fitness enhancing sessions with noted physical trainer Tim Exeter in France, Yuvraj came into the T20 match against Australia at Rajkot, needing another strong performance to try to get back into the ODI team. When he walked in to bat at 100/4, India required another 102 runs at an improbable run rate of 12 runs per over.

The man who once lit up Durban with six sixes in an over off Stuart Broad in the 2007 ICC World T20, obliterated the Australian bowlers to all parts of the ground and made a mockery of the chase. His skipper, Dhoni was left marvelling at the purity of his batting, from the other end.

Unfortunately for Yuvraj, he struggled to cope with the menace of Mitchell Johnson in the following ODI series and therfore found himself left out of the team once again. After not being considered for the Asia Cup, Yuvraj was soon back for the 2014 ICC World T20 in Bangladesh. Though India reached the finals, it was a tournament to forget for him.

Even though his test performances have not done justice to his unbridled talent, the left-hander remains an integral part of India's limited-overs history. He has already made an impact by working so hard to recover from the cancer and get back onto the field and he might just prove everyone wrong again.

He could yet add another chapter to his eventful career. If history is anything to go by, no wise man would want to bet on Yuvraj not extending his career. Maybe, the 2016 ICC World T20 in India could provide an ideal platform for the talismanic cricketer's swansong.