IPL Auctions 2014: Five magical T20 innings that justify Yuvraj Singh's massive bid

Yuvraj Singh

Form is temporary, class is permanent. Thus goes a sporting cliche that was exemplified by the price that Yuvraj Singh commanded in the just concluded auctions of the Indian Premier League. A player who is on the margins of the Indian cricket squad, past his prime many critics would say, and has been having a terrible run of form.

The maverick all-rounder who drove India to glory at the 2011 World Cup has looked a shadow of himself in his comeback performances but a lot of that is down to lack of confidence. The fact that Yuvraj Singh was ruthlessly pursued by a top franchisee at the auctions, the fact that they risked creating an imbalanced squad, and paid almost 25% of their entire kitty indicates the value that he can potentially bring to a team with his all-round abilities.

It will also add to Yuvraj’s confidence in his own abilities. It is no secret that Virat Kohli who will be leading the Royal Challengers Bangalore is an admirer and supporter of Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj will add teeth to that team’s middle order which is already beefed up at the top with the likes of Chris Gayle, AB De Villiers and Virat Kohli. His part-time bowling will also come in handy. He has been an active campaigner in International cricket for over a decade now and he will offer valuable experience to the side.

Many critics have argued that the price fetched by Yuvraj is an exorbitant one and while that may be acceptable to an extent given the context of the 60 crore cap, it must be said that the player has all the credentials to justify the trust and confidence that has been invested in him.

The biggest quality of the player is that he is a one man show, he is a finisher and an aggressive batsman of the highest grade. His timing is impeccable and he accelerates without being agricultural, playing orthodox cricketing shots. Here is a list of some fine match-winning performances that Yuvraj Singh has delivered in T-20 matches that validate his selection at the auction:

70 of 30 balls, India vs. Australia, Semi-Final of T-20 World Cup 2007

This knock played by Yuvraj Singh is not remembered often enough. It is relegated to a secondary status in the face of the blitz he came up with against England but I believe that it was a knock of greater substance. Yuvraj found himself in a challenging situation in this game and had to do more than just provide the final impetus.

He had to stabilize a stumbling innings when India were 41-2 at the end of 8 overs. He built his innings to perfection playing in partnership with Robin Uthappa picking up a boundary an over initially, putting the loose delivery to bed and unleashing his animal instincts at the latter end of the innings. He smashed five-sixes, five-boundaries to propel India to a weighty total of 188 that proved good enough to overcome a powerful Australian side.

Even more than the runs, it is the childlike enthusiasm and aggression that Yuvraj brings to a contest that makes him an immense competitor. One can’t forget the image of him at the end as he held on to the final catch of the match as he pumped his fists and punched the air announcing the swagger of a nation at Durban.

72 off 36 balls, India vs. Pakistan, 2nd T-20 Pakistan’s tour of India 2012/13

The heat and intensity of an India-Pakistan encounter still retains, even if in a moderated manner, the burning flavor of a do-or-die contest. There exists a thin line between competition and animosity in these encounters and one can easily spill into the other.

India were defeated in the first T-20 of the series which meant that India had to bring their top-game in this contest to level the series. The manner of the contest was traditional as India’s potent batting lined up against the pace and ferocity of Pakistan’s bowling. Pakistan boasted of a rejuvenated and dynamic pace attack that had everything: swing, pace and bounce. Add to it the menace of Saeed Ajmal who is arguably the best off-spinner operating in the game right now.

India started well but slipped to 53/2 at the end of 7 overs when Yuvraj took the game in his hands and departed only in the last over of the innings. He was supported by Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni at the other end but he anchored, as well as fuelled the innings with a substantial score.

Scoring at a strike rate of 200.00, the southpaw smashed 7 sixes with characteristic ease using his ability to time the ball to great effect. It became evident that he was in an ominous mood as took particular delight in taking on Shahid Afridi and slog-sweeped him to a massive 91 meter long distance.

However, that was merely a prophecy of that which was to come. He finished his innings with a complete swagger smashing three consecutive sixes against Saeed Ajmal making a mockery of the spin wizard. India won the match with 11 runs to spare with Yuvraj chipping in with the crucial wicket of Ahmed Shehzad.

58 of 16 balls, India vs. England, 21st Match, Group E: ICC T-20 2007

This was where it all began. This game has entered cricket folklore and continues to be one of the high-points of India’s cricketing history. The symbolic significance of this game cannot be over stressed. This was the year when India suffered an embarrassing exit from the ODI World Cup in the group stage after they lost a critical match to Bangladesh.

Yuvraj Singh smashing Stuart Broad over the fence

India came to the inaugural tournament without the mainstays of the Indian side of the last decade: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly. The young side led by MS Dhoni represented a sea-change in mentality, greater self-belief and a never-say-die attitude which was best embodied by Yuvraj Singh.

The context of that knock makes it even more special. The swash-buckling batsman was involved in a heated exchange of words with Andrew Flintoff who was evidently trying to get under the skin of the southpaw to unnerve him.

Yuvraj responded magnificently in the very next over smashing Stuard Broad all round the park, pulling out every stroke in the book and providing that final impetus that turned an ordinary score into a match-winning one. That knock epitomized the turn-around that happened in Indian cricket that consummated with India’s world cup victory in 2011.

49 of 16 balls, Kings XI Punjab vs. Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2008

It would be unfair not to include an IPL performance in this list and hence I have chosen this one even though I am aware of the fact that the player hasn’t shared his best with the tournament yet but that is bound to change soon.

Yuvraj led the Punjab franchisee in the opening season and took them to the semi-finals, the selected match being the final group match and the last hurdle that they had to cross in the process. His side put up an immense performance as Shaun Marsh stacked yet another ton in the tournament and Yuvraj capitalized on that.

This innings is crucial also because this might be the kind of role that Yuvraj may have to occupy in the Royal Challengers Bangalore side playing at number 4. The past is witness to the fact that Bangalore have been a top-heavy, batting dominant side. They will require a kind of final push in the last overs that ensures that the innings does not fizzle out after a splendid start.

Yuvraj walked in to bat at 133/1 in the 14th over of the game and played second fiddle to Shaun Marsh knocking the ball about as Marsh went about his business and took over as soon as the death overs began. The match was lit up by Yuvraj’s big-hitting prowess as he smashed six massive sixes to take his team to a massive match-winning total of 221.

A special mention is deserved by Yuvraj’s all-round abilities that shone through in the 2009 edition of the Indian Premier league when he took two hat-tricks one of them being against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

77* of 35 balls, India vs. Australia, Only T-20, Australia’s tour of India 2013/14

This being the most recent exploit of the southpaw was a critical innings for his International career as Yuvraj was making a comeback from a lengthy spell out of the national side. He was forced to walk into a cauldron as India were reeling while chasing a massive total of 202.

India struggled to keep pace with the scoring rate and lost crucial wickets at critical stages of the game. Tottering at 80/3, Yuvraj Singh joined hands with Virat Kohli but India’s new-found hero soon left the company of Yuvraj. He was not at his fluent best in the initial part of the game but gained in confidence with every stroke that he played and eventually thrived in company of his captain.

He consciously played with a straight bat, targeting the smaller straight boundary and ensuring that India kept pace with the target. He finished off the game with two balls to spare and proved his worth as a quality finisher in the format once again.

India still lack a force like him at number 4 and even though he has failed to live upto his reputation since this knock, he might get another opportunity prior to the 2015 World cup and he can make a case for himself at the Indian Premier League in a new environment.