India’s esteemed position in the world of cricket is unquestionable, consistently ranking among the favorites in global and continental tournaments. This stature, however, wasn’t built overnight but through decades of relentless effort and the emergence of several iconic players who defined the team’s spirit. When it comes to naming India’s greatest cricketer, opinions often vary, but former India pacer Yograj Singh, father of the legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, recently shared his unequivocal view.
During a recent interview, when asked to name India’s finest cricketer, Yograj Singh didn’t hesitate for a moment. He stated, ‘If you talk about all-rounders, then Kapil Dev. If you talk about batsmen, then you have Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly – all these guys – but I think Yuvi (Yuvraj) is topping everybody in my book.’ He passionately added, ‘He would have played about 200 Test matches and maybe scored 200 centuries, which I thought… and he was capable of.’
To contextualize Yuvraj Singh’s remarkable career, he represented India in 304 One Day Internationals, 40 Tests, and 58 T20 Internationals, accumulating an impressive 11,778 international runs across all formats. His tally includes 17 centuries and 71 half-centuries, alongside 148 wickets with his effective left-arm spin. His stellar performances, particularly in crucial ICC events, solidified his reputation as one of India’s most exceptional all-rounders.
However, Yograj Singh didn’t stop at praising his son’s prowess. He ventured into controversial territory, alleging that Yuvraj’s career was marred by internal team politics. Speaking to InsideSport, he claimed that Yuvraj had very few genuine friends within the squad, singling out the iconic Sachin Tendulkar as his son’s sole true confidant. Furthermore, Yograj sharply criticized former India captains MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, suggesting they were apprehensive of Yuvraj’s potential to claim their positions.
‘As I told you, there are no friends in the sphere of success, money, and glory,’ Yograj asserted. ‘There were always backstabbers, people who wanted to put you down. People were scared of Yuvraj Singh because they were afraid he would usurp their seats, because he was such a great player created by God Almighty. He has been one of the greatest players, and they were scared – right from MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, everybody – ‘Oh, he might take my chair.”
Catch Lovlina Borgohain’s inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5.