5 instances when Yuvraj Singh showed great character

The Indian Cricket Team over the years has been blessed with numerous match winners. From Kapil Dev to Virat Kohli, the legacy of such tremendous cricketers has been intact. One player who has proved to be an ace all-rounder in all the formats is Yuvraj Singh.When he gets going, there is no better player to watch. His elegance in the cover drives, brutal power in the sixes and tricks in the spin bowling have made him stand apart as a class player. Not just his game, his attitude is filled with bravery. He has shown plenty of times that he is the man to turn to when all the chips are down. Whether it is facing the fiery spells of seamers or tackling their sledging, Yuvraj always stands up for any challenge.Here are 5 instances where Yuvraj proved to be India’s bravest cricketer:

#1 Man of the Tournament in Under-19 World Cup 2000

Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif had a beautiful partnership from their U-19 days

His first big performance came in the year 2000 when India won the Under-19 Cricket World Cup played in Sri Lanka under the captaincy on Mohammad Kaif. He was adjudged the man of the tournament for his all-round performances. He played a crucial knock of 58 runs off just 25 balls against Australia in the semi-final. In the group stage he outclassed New Zealand scoring 68 with the bat and picking up 36/4 with the bowl.

Such performances earned him a selection in the national squad when he was called up to play in the ICC Knockout Trophy in the year 2000. And immediately he showed his true colours as he won the Man of the Match award in just the second match against Australia in the quarter-final. His innings of 84 runs off 80 balls enabled India qualify for the semi-final removing the heavyweights Australia out of the tournament. This was just the start of the many more matches that he won for India.

#2 Match winning innings in the Natwest Trophy Final 2002

Yuvraj Singh’s expression of disappointment after being dismissed in the Natwest final

This was the one of the finest moments ever in India’s cricketing history when India came from behind and won the tri-series in England. Sourav Ganguly was seen waving his shirt after India’s triumph. It was all made possible because of the partnership between Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh.

Chasing 326 runs for victory, India was in all sorts of trouble when the top 5 batsmen were dismissed at 146 runs. Many had left the hopes of India’s victory. But then the two youngsters combined and made India achieve the impossible. The duo shared a partnership of 121 runs before Yuvraj was dismissed in the 42nd over. Kaif hung in there and returned only after India had secured the trophy.

Yuvraj’s innings was filled with all blazes as he notched up a quick fire 69 off 63 balls which included 9 fours and a six. He kept the pace going and never allowed the required run rate to mount. It was yet another innings when he put his hand up when the team was in trouble.

#3 6 sixes in an over and heroics in the World T20 2007

Stuart Broad faced the full wrath of Yuvraj Singh, and was left speechless

It all started with a heated argument between Yuvraj and Andrew Flintoff. They exchanged words and Yuvraj got charged up. Stuart Broad was the poor victim of Yuvraj’s anger as he smacked him for sixes off every single ball of the over. That is one sight that a cricket lover will never get bored of watching. He smoked the ball to all corners of the Kingsmead ground at Durban.

That innings still stands as the fastest half century in international cricket. He got to his 50 in just 12 balls. It was due to his innings that India reached a massive total of 218 runs and helped defeat the Englishmen.

He did not stop only there. In the semi-final against Australia, he played a swashbuckling innings of 70 runs of only 30 balls. He did not show mercy on any bowler and kept sending their deliveries to the boundaries. One of his sixes of Brett Lee over square leg went 119 metres long which was the longest in the tournament. India won the match by 15 runs and made it to the final. At the end India defeated Pakistan and became the first ever T20 champions of the world. Yuvraj Singh was adjudged the player of the tournament.

#4 World Cup hero despite fighting illness in World Cup 2011

As India celebrated a World Cup triumph, the nations hero was suffering from a fatal disease

When the whole of the nation was celebrating India becoming the world champions after 28 years, nobody knew that the person who held the prime responsibility for the victory was suffering from a fatal disease. He tolerated all the pain for his country and kept giving great performances one after the other.

He scored a total of 362 runs in the tournament at an average of 90.5. Out of his 8 innings, he remained unbeaten on 4 occasions. He scored 4 half centuries and a century. With the ball, he picked a total of 15 wickets proving to be Indias ace all-rounder. Against Ireland, he did the double duties as he scored a half century and grabbed 5 wickets something which not many have achieved.

He played the most crucial innings in the quarter-final against Australia at Ahmedabad when he scored 57 important runs to help India chase the Australian total and make it to the semis. And at the end he was deservedly at the crease when MS Dhoni hit the memorable six over long on to end the 28 years long drought of the world cup for India. Yet again Yuvraj clinched the trophy of the player of the tournament, his third in major events.

#5 Grand comeback in international cricket after cancer in 2012

All through his journey, Yuvraj Singh has received unending love from India fans

After he was diagnosed with cancer, he had to undergo the chemo treatments after which the body supposedly loses a lot of strength. It was always going to be very difficult for him to make a comeback after all that his body had gone through.

But for a brave man like him, even that was possible. He did make a grand entry back in the international arena in a T20I game against Pakistan at Ahmedabad in 2012. He scored 72 runs off 36 balls launching 7 monstrous sixes which reminded everyone of his class.

He hit everyone with the same brutality that he is always known for. It was his innings that helped India reach a total of 192 runs. Despite Mohammad Hafeez’s fighting innings, India won the match by 11 runs and levelled the two-match series at one apiece.

It was a lovely story of an athlete combating the threat of the cancer and coming out of it to show the bravery and courage that he possesses.