Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer on Monday came out in support of former India allrounder Yuvraj Singh, who recently revealed that he did not receive clear communication from then captain Virat Kohli, head coach Ravi Shastri and selectors while reflecting on his retirement.In a recent interview with Sports Tak, Yuvraj, who played 40 Tests, 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is, said he did not receive proper communication from Kohli and Shastri and had to approach MS Dhoni for clarity about his future.Taking to X, Jaffer, who played alongside Yuvraj, backed the allrounder and criticised the Indian team management, the BCCI and the selectors.“Earlier players used to find out in newspapers if their career is over or not, although things have gotten better in terms of communication still if a big player like @YUVSTRONG12 who’s won India two WC says he wasn’t communicated then that’s not right. Communication should be there. #Indiancricket”, Jaffer said.
What did Yuvraj say?Yuvraj opened up about the confusion he faced towards the end of his career.“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.“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 phase, it was Dhoni who provided him with 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, he insisted on making his own decision. “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.Yuvraj last played for India in June 2017 against West Indies and announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket in 2019.
