Yuvraj Singh - the man who won India big tournaments

Those who watched Indian cricket during the last two decades know how valuable Yuvraj Singh has been for the Indian cricket team. Statistics aside, he has proved to be a match-winner almost every time he has stepped on to the field in Indian colors. Having represented India in 402 international matches, Yuvraj scored over 11,000 runs with 17 centuries, 148 wickets and 137 catches.

Yuvraj, who announced his retirement yesterday, was instrumental in India winning major tournaments and trophies, including the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy (shared with Sri Lanka), 2007 ICC World T20 and 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. He revolutionized India's fielding at the point region and was one of the world's best all-rounders during his prime.

Yuvraj, who mostly batted at number six during his initial years, found a permanent place at number four after the end of the 2007 World Cup. In fact, during the period between 2005 and 2011, he won the most man of the match awards (18) and the most man of the series awards (7) in ODIs than anyone else. His run tally and average was also among the highest during this period.

Another important highlight of that period was that while Australia was the dominant team, most other teams had champion bowling attacks. Yuvraj peaked around the same time when bowlers of the likes of Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Shoaib Akhtar, Shane Bond, Chaminda Vaas, Muttaiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Steve Harmison, Jerome Taylor, Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and Heath Streak peaked.

Yet another big highlight of Yuvraj's career was the timing of his performances. While he tried to be consistent throughout, his best performances came in big tournament knockouts and series deciders on cricket's biggest stage. This includes ICC tournaments in T20's and ODI's, and Test matches in tough conditions. He is one of those players who is renowned for performing when the team was in trouble rather than when everything was in the team's favor.

Let us now have a look at the big tournaments where Yuvraj contributed substantially, to make India a dominant force in world cricket.

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#1 Writing history in the NatWest Series, 2002

Yuvraj Singh

As Yuvraj mentioned during his press conference, India's 2002 NatWest Series victory is indeed one of the highlights of not only his career - but Indian cricket as well. Thanks to this victory (and India's 1983 World Cup win), India remain unbeaten in ODI finals at Lord's, the home of cricket. It was all the more special as it remains a rare victory for India over England in tournament finals.

Yuvraj was sensational throughout the tournament, scoring 254 runs, and picking up five wickets in the final analysis. He played two crucial knocks while chasing - against England at Lord's in India's first game of the tournament, and another one against Sri Lanka at the Oval. And his counter-attack against England in the series final has been written in history.

India were chasing 326 - still the highest score ever chased down in any international final. India were 146 for 5, and Yuvraj scored at a strike rate of over 100 to take India quite close to the target. After his departure, Mohammad Kaif stood till the end and ensured India sealed what continues to be one of the most cherished moments in India's cricketing history.

#2 Taking six-hitting to a new level in the ICC World T20, 2007

Pakistan v India - Twenty20 Championship Final

At one moment, India were looking on their way back home after their loss to New Zealand during the inaugural ICC World T20 tournament. India, the most inexperienced T20 team in the tournament at that time - had to win all matches from there while ensuring a healthy net run rate. During their second super eights match against England at Durban, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag got India off to a steady start.

While India were looking set for a score around 200, Yuvraj - who had already scored 14 off six balls - was provoked after an altercation with Andrew Flintoff. Stuart Broad bore the brunt of Yuvraj's fire, getting hit for six huge sixes in an over. India won the match while improving their net run rate, and a convincing victory against South Africa in India's next match sealed them a place in the semis.

In the semifinal, India - again batting first - was reduced to 41 for 2 while facing world champions Australia. Australia were fielding a bowling attack which won them the World Cup less than five months ago - including Nathan Bracken, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, and Brett Lee, who missed the 2007 World Cup due to a foot injury. Yuvraj did not discriminate between bowlers, and scored a 30-ball 70.

Finishing at 188 for 4, India won the match to set up a final with Pakistan. While Yuvraj and many others struggled in the final, his 63-run partnership with Gambhir helped India get to a fighting total in the end. India held the nerve in the end to win a historic final by five runs.

#3 Reaching unprecedented heights in the ICC World Cup, 2011

Australia v India - 2011 ICC World Cup Quarter-Final

The 2011 ICC World Cup is definitely one of India's biggest victories. Yuvraj Singh's final all-around analysis of 358 runs and 15 wickets is unmatched in all World Cup history. He scored a fifty in three of his first three innings in that World Cup and got his maiden five-wicket haul in the match against Ireland. While India's only loss - against South Africa - was disheartening for one and all, Yuvraj decided to change gears.

In India's last group match against West Indies, Yuvraj scored his first World Cup century while battling with fever. He took two wickets later in the day to set up a quarter-final against Australia, who were trying to win their fourth consecutive World Cup.

With India needing around 100 runs with five wickets remaining in sultry conditions, Yuvraj and Raina attacked the likes of Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson. His unbeaten knock of 57 and two wickets earned him his fourth man-of-the-match award in the tournament.

While Yuvraj failed to score in the semifinal on his homeground Mohali against Pakistan, he again took two wickets to help India defend a moderate target. With Sri Lanka batting first in the final, Yuvraj took crucial wickets of Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera. Though Dhoni went out to bat at Yuvraj's regular number four position in the final, a stable knock from Yuvraj with 52 runs still required helped India win cricket's biggest prize after 28 long years.

#5 A supporting role in other tournament victories

Yuvraj Singh times one through backward point - Asia Cup T20 2016.

Yuvraj's performances helped India win many tournaments, such as the ODI series in Pakistan in 2006; the ODI series against England in India in 2006 as well as 2008; T20 series against Australia in 2013 at home and in Australia in 2016; the ODI series in New Zealand in 2009; the ODI series in West Indies in 2009; and India's historic Test victories in West Indies (2006) and in New Zealand (2009).

Some of Yuvraj's best performances came when the team's chips were down, including during his maiden innings against Australia during the 2000 Champions Trophy, against Sri Lanka and South Africa during their respective home triangular tournaments in 2001, in New Zealand during 2002-03, and against West Indies during the Sri Lanka tri-series and against Zimbabwe during the tri series in Zimbabwe - both in 2005.

Yuvraj certainly made a stake for a Test spot after his consistency in India's only Test series victory in Pakistan. In the first Test at Multan, Yuvraj scored a quickfire 59, followed by a 112 off just 129 balls in the second Test at Lahore and a 47 in the third Test at Rawalpindi. His counterattacking 158 in the third Test against Pakistan at Bengaluru in 2007 helped India beat Pakistan in a Test series in India after 35 years.

While the 2016 Asia Cup T20 was not his best tournament by any stretch of the imagination, Yuvraj was one of India's most dependable batsmen in a low-scoring tournament. Yuvraj was the only batsman who provided constant support to Virat Kohli and company as India chased down moderate-to-low totals throughout the tournament.

Yuvraj had a similar role to play in the ICC World T20 tournament that followed. He did not get a fifty in that tournament either, but provided Virat Kohli good support in the match against Pakistan. In the virtual quarterfinal against Australia, he took a wicket and scored a 21 amid a stabilizing partnership of 45 with Kohli after India lost the first three wickets for just 49. The remarkable thing about that knock was that it came after Yuvraj injured his foot early in the innings, to be ruled out of the semifinal and the remainder of the tournament.

He always won important matches for the team, when he became a senior member in the team. While most of his fifty-plus knocks helped the team win, only some of his big scores saw India lose. When he was recalled to the Indian team for one last time, he had only three matches to prove his worth.

In the second of those matches, against England in Pune in 19 January 2017, India were 25 for 3, when Yuvraj smashed his maiden ODI 150 to take India to an unassailable score of 381 for 4. This was followed by a man-of-the-match performance in India's Champions Trophy opener against Pakistan four months later.

In his last appearance for India, which came seven matches later, Yuvraj came in to bat with India reeling at 34 for 2. He scored a fluent 39 amid a 66-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane to take India past 100, before falling to Devendra Bishoo. India scored 251 in the end and won the match by 93 runs.

Just like his debut match (against Kenya at Nairobi in 2000) and debut innings (against Australia in the next match), his last appearance at the crease in what was his last game also resulted in a victory for India.