"Working on their vocabulary, making them read English" - Yuvraj Singh explains how he's grooming Punjab's cricketers

Yuvraj Singh doesn’t see himself taking up a full-time coaching role in the future. However, the veteran is doing his bit to groom the next batch of cricketers from Punjab by giving youngsters some much-needed English lessons.

The love-hate relationship between the Punjab team and the English language is known to all. Many players from the state have spoken about how players don’t have the best command over the language.

Speaking on “22 Yarns with Gaurav Kapur”, Yuvraj Singh shared how he helps Punjab’s youngsters be match-ready by giving them English lessons.

“I don’t think in the long run I would like to take up coaching, because I would have a lot to do elsewhere. I would probably work with guys that I like and I will pick them. But when I do that, I spend a month or two with them. Talking to them every day, working on their game, their vocabulary etc. Working on how they will speak if they get a Man of the Match tomorrow. I make them read English,” Yuvraj Singh mentioned.

A few years ago on Gaurav Kapur’s show “Breakfast with Champions”, Yuvraj Singh sarcastically shared how some of the Punjab cricketers are excellent English orators. He also revealed that then-captain Harbhajan Singh had launched a special “English Day” to help youngsters get comfortable with the language.

“Our Punjab team is full of intellectual blokes. They speak such good English that those who know the language will also forget it! Harbhajan Singh, our captain, made a rule that on Sunday we have English day in Punjab team. Whoever broke the rule and spoke in Punjabi had to give a Rs 1000 fine,” Yuvraj Singh had revealed on the show.

“When they start speaking it is hilarious” – Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh shared an amusing anecdote to give an insight into what goes down in the Punjab dressing room. The 39-year-old admitted it is a comical sight to see the players try to speak in English.

“I ask them if you get a Man of the Match what will you go and say? They say that we will speak in Punjabi! I then have to explain to them how the presenters may not know Punjabi. I encourage them to speak in English. When they start speaking it is hilarious!” Yuvraj claimed.

Yuvraj Singh is not the first to open up about the Punjab team’s English struggles. Several players like Harbhajan Singh have also talked about the phenomenon in the past.