Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh’s father, Yograj Singh, launched a sharp criticism when asked whether Virat Kohli’s captaincy could have extended Yuvraj’s career. Yograj claimed that nearly all of Yuvraj’s teammates were intimidated by him, fearing he might take their spots.
Yuvraj had a distinguished 15-year international career, which lasted until mid-2017. However, he faced periods of being in and out of the team, notably in 2011–2012 and again in 2016–2017. Kohli became India’s permanent white-ball captain at the start of 2017, yet Yuvraj featured in only eight ODIs that year under his leadership before being permanently dropped from the squad.
When asked if Kohli’s captaincy could have supported Yuvraj, Yograj told Inside Sport:
“As I told you, there are no friends in the sphere of success, money and glory. There were always backstabbers, people who wanted to put you down. People were scared of Yuvraj Singh because they were afraid where he would usurp their seats because he was such a great player created by the God Almighty. He has been the greatest of players, who they were scared – right from MS Dhoni, everybody – ‘oh he might take my chair‘”
Yuvraj Singh Crucial In MS Dhoni’s Two ICC Title Victories
Under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, Yuvraj Singh played a pivotal role in ending India’s long wait for World Cup glory. He delivered outstanding half-centuries against England and Australia, helping India clinch the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Yuvraj elevated his performance even further during the 2011 ODI World Cup held in India, earning the Player of the Tournament award.
In nine matches, he scored 362 runs at an impressive average exceeding 90, including four half-centuries and a century. He also contributed significantly with the ball, taking 15 wickets at an average of 25.13 and maintaining an economy rate of 5.02. However, he did not feature in the 2015 ODI World Cup.
The Chandigarh-born cricketer concluded his international career with 11,778 runs and 148 wickets across 402 matches.
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