Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has opened up about the confusion he faced towards the end of his career, saying he never got clear communication from the team management about his future. Despite being a key player for years, he felt left in the dark during his final phase in international cricket. Yuvraj revealed that neither captain Virat Kohli, head coach Ravi Shastri, nor selectors gave him a clear idea of where he stood.
“For example, when I went through my own situation, I had zero clarity. There was no clarity from the National Cricket Academy, no clarity from the captain or coach. I was stuck at 36, going on 37, wondering what to do next. At the very least, if someone has played so much cricket, they deserve respect,” he said.He added that this wasn’t just his case, pointing out others like Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh faced similar situations. “I feel that those who are at the end of their careers need clarity. I didn’t get it, neither did Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag or Harbhajan Singh. The captain, coach or selector, whoever it may be, should sit with the player and explain how they see things,” he added.During this uncertain time, it was MS Dhoni who gave him a clear and honest perspective. “I spoke to MS Dhoni. We spoke over the phone. He gave me the right perspective. He had nothing to gain, but he could see what was going on,” Yuvraj shared.Even then, Yuvraj insisted on deciding his own future. “I was told that if I couldn’t pass the fitness test, I should consider retirement. I said I would decide my retirement myself,” he revealed.
