Making his return to the Indian squad after not playing a single match in 2015, Yuvraj Singh wants to return to being the playing who was winning matches for India, reports bcci.tv. The all-rounder was picked in India's T20 squad for the tour of Australia in 2016.
While Yuvraj said that it “feels good to be back”, he also admitted that he has had to fight tooth and nail to prove himself in domestic cricket. While he is happy that his hard work has paid off, he admits, he still has scars from 2014 World T20 final, when he scored 11 off 21 balls and India lost.
“Definitely. I didn’t end it well in 2014; I had a bad run in the final, and that was always at the back of my mind,” he said. “I had to really work on my fitness, fielding and batting. I have done that in the last year and a half, and hopefully, the results will show in the coming seasons.”
While he said it is difficult to maintain a consistently high standard at the international level, he is hoping his domestic form will help him get back to the player he was.
“When you play international cricket for 13-14 years, it is always tough to maintain one level. Especially with my body – I have worked really hard in the last two-three years since my recovery – it has been up and down.
“But this year at the domestic stage I have been batting really well, especially in the one-dayers, and I am feeling really good. I really believe that if I get a number of opportunities, I can deliver again.”
Yuvraj also added that his primary ambition was still to play for India but realised that the only way he could achieve that was by performing well in domestic cricket.
Happy for his teammates: Yuvraj
Speaking about his Punjab teammates, Gurkeerat Mann and Barinder Sran, who also made the cut for the ODI squad, he said: “I am extremely happy for Barinder; he is a very good left-armer, and I have been watching him since he played U-19 and U-23 cricket. He has been bowling really well and now has the opportunity to represent India.
“Gurkeerat has been doing well for us for quite a while now. I hope when these boys do get an opportunity, they step up to the plate and do well for India.”
He was also happy to see his teammates from the 2011 World Cup winning squad, Ashish Nehra and Harbhajan Singh, back in the Indian set-up.
Of Harbhajan, he said: “Bhajji is a legend and he definitely deserved another chance. He bowled really well in the ODI series against South Africa. He has been there for a while now.
About the more surprising decision to recall Nehra, Yuvraj said: “Ashish, more than myself I am happy for him. I have watched him since the initial days of my career when we started to play together. He has battled a lot of injuries and worked insanely hard always.
“Recently, I would say that he was the best bowler in the last two IPL seasons. It is heartening to see him get rewarded for that and I am thrilled for him.”
Although the 34-year-old admitted that he hasn’t been able to achieve all of the goals that he set for himself, he wants to do well for India again.
“So, now I am just going to go with the flow. I am starting off with T20Is and whatever opportunity I get, I am going to give it my all. I just want to do well for the country again in all three departments. I want to win matches for India again.”
Although it is hard to not have one eye on the World T20 in March, Yuvraj said it would be amazing if India could repeat their heroics from the 2007 World T20 and the 2011 World Cup, which has also held in India.
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