On October 7, 2000, Yuvraj Singh scored 84 off 80 deliveries in his first international innings. His composure, temperament and technique stood out. He had Australia at their wits’ end with his dazzling strokeplay. His fielding also made the difference in the final analysis. Sarang Bhalerao revisits the birth of a superstar.
The Nairobi scoreboard told a familiar tale. India, it seemed, had squandered a superb start after Sachin Tendulkar smashed Glenn McGrath for three huge sixes. In half an hour, India lost Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. At 90 for three in the 19th over, India seemed to have lost the plot. Enter Yuvraj Singh and the equation would change; or history, if you may say.
Playing in only his second One-Day international (ODI), the southpaw, who had an upright stance, exuded confidence with his high backlift and sublime timing. Ian Harvey tested Yuvraj with a short delivery. The Indian batsmen are traditionally less confident players when it comes to horizontal-bat shots. And playing in his first innings Yuvraj would have had some butterflies in his stomach. But the moment he saw the short ball his eyes popped out like an upstart’s when he sees his favourite candy. The ball was pulled contemptuously behind square for a boundary.
Yuvraj was ready to fight fire with fire: that was the best policy against the much-vaunted pace battery of Australia. He was ready to take on the attack, as that was his natural game. At that time Yuvraj’s resume boasted of an Under-19 World Cup and numerous compelling innings, albeit played at junior level, and some for Punjab. The style of batting remained the same at Nairobi as well.
He glanced Jason Gillespie fine for a boundary, as if to suggest that finesse was his ally as well. Steve Waugh’s military-medium bowling had accounted for Vinod Kambli. Waugh was taking the pace of the ball. Yuvraj took him off the attack by lifting him over mid-on for a boundary. The promising innings was taking India from safety shores to a position of strength. He brought up his half-century with a punch down the ground off Glenn McGrath, which went for a boundary. The youngster punched the air. Yet there was a lot of fire within him. That, according to him, was just a milestone. More was to follow.
Yuvraj played an exquisite cover drive off Gillespie which rocketed to the boundary. The audacious stroke play was an exhibition in batting. Yuvraj missed his ton by 16 runs, but his 80-ball foray had put the Australians on the backfoot.
The Nairobi scoreboard told a familiar tale. India, it seemed, had squandered a superb start after Sachin Tendulkar smashed Glenn McGrath for three huge sixes. In half an hour, India lost Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. At 90 for three in the 19th over, India seemed to have lost the plot. Enter Yuvraj Singh and the equation would change; or history, if you may say.
Playing in only his second One-Day international (ODI), the southpaw, who had an upright stance, exuded confidence with his high backlift and sublime timing. Ian Harvey tested Yuvraj with a short delivery. The Indian batsmen are traditionally less confident players when it comes to horizontal-bat shots. And playing in his first innings Yuvraj would have had some butterflies in his stomach. But the moment he saw the short ball his eyes popped out like an upstart’s when he sees his favourite candy. The ball was pulled contemptuously behind square for a boundary.
Yuvraj was ready to fight fire with fire: that was the best policy against the much-vaunted pace battery of Australia. He was ready to take on the attack, as that was his natural game. At that time Yuvraj’s resume boasted of an Under-19 World Cup and numerous compelling innings, albeit played at junior level, and some for Punjab. The style of batting remained the same at Nairobi as well.
He glanced Jason Gillespie fine for a boundary, as if to suggest that finesse was his ally as well. Steve Waugh’s military-medium bowling had accounted for Vinod Kambli. Waugh was taking the pace of the ball. Yuvraj took him off the attack by lifting him over mid-on for a boundary. The promising innings was taking India from safety shores to a position of strength. He brought up his half-century with a punch down the ground off Glenn McGrath, which went for a boundary. The youngster punched the air. Yet there was a lot of fire within him. That, according to him, was just a milestone. More was to follow.
Yuvraj played an exquisite cover drive off Gillespie which rocketed to the boundary. The audacious stroke play was an exhibition in batting. Yuvraj missed his ton by 16 runs, but his 80-ball foray had put the Australians on the backfoot.
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