Opinions On...Yuvraj Singh

Yograj Singh was once watching on television, old, grainy videos of Donald Bradman batting. He called his wife and said. Look dear, this guy's batting reminds me of our son.

Of course I am making this up but that's how Yuvraj's father sees him. No wonder Yuvraj made it to the list of top 10 sporting egos.

Yuvraj Singh

The general perception is that Yograj Singh is the Punjabi Mike Agassi. I highly doubt Mike Agassi had anything kind to say to Andre. Yograj, on the contrary proclaimed his son is the best batsman after Bradman. He had just belted baby faced Stuart Broad for 6 sixes in a single over in cricket match. It wasn't even real cricket.

Yuvraj Singh is the original Kieron Pollard. The first cricketer who became a star without playing real cricket. Yes, there was Michael Bevan before him but he was a specialist not a star.

Yuvraj is also the oldest 29 year old ever. Physically. Mentally there isn't much evidence that he's anywhere close to 29. For the amount of cricket he plays; which isn't a lot compared to today's standards; he seems to be carrying a battered and bruised body.

His career seems to be going nowhere either.

He started off as an ODI specialist with potential to mature into a Test player. Now he is an ODI player with a lot of accumulated resentments and disappointments. He seemed to have aspirations to be India's captain in the shorter format but was blind sided by the suave and clear thinking Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Nowadays he only sulks.

Once a spectacular fielder in the point, gully region capable of pulling off stunning stops and catches, he now fields at third man making effeminate faces.

Its like Becker playing from the baseline at Wimbledon and emoting like Venus Williams.

His Test performance has been patchy. While he has to his credit a 100 on a Lahore green top and a memorable 86 not out in a famous run chase in Mohali, the way he let India down in Australia in 2007-08 is what will always count against him.

He made his debut with Zaheer Khan in the first batch of post match fixing debutantes. Zaheer Khan will retire as India's greatest left arm pace man.

Yuvraj will probably retire without becoming news.

When the pitch is flat. When the ball isn't moving around. When the skies are clear. That's when Yuvraj roars. He becomes a bully. The begins to resemble the Micheal Holding of batsmen. And India begin to look unbeatable.

The coming World Cup will be an ideal setting for Yuvraj to make something of his career again. An ODI specialist with Test potential.