PCA secretary asks Yuvraj Singh to come out of retirement
Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) secretary Puneet Bali has requested former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh to come out of retirement. Reportedly, the Indian stalwart has been offered to play for Punjab in the upcoming domestic season as well as mentor young cricketers. It is understood that Yuvraj will require prior approval from the BCCI in case he accepts the offer. Here is more.
Bali explained how Yuvraj's presence could be a big boost for Punjab. "Yuvraj initiated sessions with these boys while he was in Chandigarh. We have lost players to other states, many of our players to Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal. So, we felt a player of Yuvraj's experience and caliber could lend a lot of value and inspire the youngsters," ESPNCricinfo quoted Bali as saying.
"The request I made was for him to consider playing all formats. But if he comes back and says, he's available only for limited-overs cricket, for some reason. I'm looking forward to hearing from him soon. He's been working hard with the boys," added Bali.
Yuvraj Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in June 2019. Over two years after his retirement, he still remains India's greatest middle-order batsman in white-ball cricket. He rose to prominence in the 2002 NatWest series final against England, and later helped Indian win the inaugural World T20. His contribution in India's 2011 World Cup campaign was indispensable.
In a career spanning 17 years, Yuvraj aggregated 8,701 runs from 304 ODIs at an average of 36.55. He made 40 Test appearances during the period, having scored 1,900 runs at 33.92. Yuvraj was touted as a destructive batsman in the shortest format, wherein he amassed 1,177 runs at 28.02. The 38-year-old also has 12,663 First-class and 8,965 List A runs to his name.
Yuvraj's comeback could benefit the Punjab team, which recently lost a number of marquee players including Manan Vohra and Barinder Sran. However, the chances of his comeback look bleak as the BCCI provides NOCs for overseas leagues to players who have retired from international cricket. Notably, Yuvraj received one last year when he participated in the Global T20 Canada and Abu Dhabi T10 League.
