Yuvraj Singh to take a call on his future after 2019
He hasn’t played international cricket since June 2017, but Yuvraj Singh hasn’t given up hope for a final hurrah, promising to take a call on his future only after 2019 and not before.
Singh, 36, has turned out for India in 40 Tests, 304 one-day internationals and 58 Twenty20 Internationals for a combined tally of 11,778 runs and 148 wickets, but the last of them, an ODI during India’s tour of the Caribbean, was almost a year ago.
With the Indian team doing well across formats – they are No.1 in both Tests and ODIs in the MRF Tyres ICC Team Rankings and No.3 on the T20I list – there has been no space for the veteran of late, but Singh isn’t complaining.
“I am going to look to play till 2019, whatever cricket I get to play. I will take a call when that year is over,” Singh, the Player of the Tournament when India won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 at home, told reporters on the sidelines of the Indian Premier League 2018.
“Everybody has to take a decision after a while. I have been playing international cricket since 2000, it has been almost 17-18 years on and off. So, I will definitely take a call after 2019.”
Singh, playing for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, hasn’t had a good time of it so far, getting a chance to bat only on three occasions and scoring 12, 4 and 20, and going for 23 runs in the two wicketless overs he has bowled so far in five games.
Yuvraj Singh's six sixes. India V England World T20 2007
Watch Yuvraj Singh's famous six sixes against England in the 2007 World T20
His own performances wouldn’t have pleased Singh, who made headlines when he smashed Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over during the inaugural ICC World T20 in 2007, but he is happy with the success his old friend Chris Gayle has had so far this IPL season.
Gayle, after missing the first two games, has scored 63, 104* and 62*, and Singh said, “Oh, I am loving it! Chris has always been a friend off the field. He has been a great batsman, probably one of the most
dangerous batsmen in the world, and performing like a boss on the field. I am really happy for him and the way he is batting.”
On his team, who are No.2 on the IPL points table after four wins from five games, Singh is hopeful. “We are looking ahead to first qualify in the last four and I think we have got a great team this year,” he said. “We have got a very powerful batting attack, smart bowling attack, and hopefully we look to qualify and then see if we can win the finals.”