Yuvraj Singh hopes to play the 2019 World Cup

Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh was a vital cog in India lifting the T20 World Cup 2007 in South Africa and was also the Player of the tournament in the World Cup 2011 held in the subcontinent, that India won. And very recently he led the first team in India to win a Pink ball domestic game.

Speaking about the pink ball in an interview with CNN-News18, Yuvraj said that the pink ball might make Test cricket more exciting. “I think that’s the way forward, it’s something to look forward to, especially in the night, to bat and to field. Hopefully, it does well,” he said.

He was at the peak of his career when he was diagnosed with cancer and lost the best years of his life. “It was the darkest phase of my life. I was at the peak of my career, winning the World Cup, being Man of the Tournament, I had a great IPL – but my health was getting worse. Then being diagnosed with cancer when you’re at that level – you feel what wrong did you do?”

“I lost the best years of my life as a professional cricketer. But on the other side, I also made it back to my life. So I’m pretty lucky – thankful to the Almighty, thankful to my country for wishing me in my recovery,” he added.

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Speaking of the medal winners Sakshi Malik, PV Sindhu, Dipa Karmakar in the recently concluded Rio Olympics, he said that it is a proud moment for the country. “I’m very proud of what these girls have achieved. Getting a Silver in badminton is no mean job. You get a Bronze, you get a Silver. Dipa Karmakar comes fourth in gymnastics – you hardly have any facilities for the sport in the country. A girl comes from nowhere and finishes fourth. It’s a huge honour for the country, and you now know that tomorrow if you give facilities out there to all of India, how much talent can come out.”

When asked what else does he wish to achieve while it appears that he has almost achieved everything one can aspire for as a cricketer, he said, “I think if I finish my career with 70-80 Test matches, and play the 2019 World Cup, that will be a huge achievement. That’s my target. If I can achieve that, I will go with no regrets. If I don’t, I’ve always given my 100%, and that’s what I want to leave behind.”

Speaking about the young talents coming through the ranks in the domestic circuit, he pointed out some of the cricketers from the domestic circuit, “I think Kuldeep Yadav has been bowling exceptionally well – bowling on flat tracks but getting wickets with his trajectory. I think Pradeep Sangwan, he’s someone who’s played a lot of domestic cricket,he’s doing very well. Nathu Singh is one of the fast bowlers who is shaping up really well. Mayank Agarwal has been there in the reckoning – Sheldon Jackson is one of the very exciting young players. It’s a great bunch of talent out there, which should go the next step.”

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We all know about the six sixes he hit off Stuart Broad in 2007, but when asked to point his favorite memory for Test matches, Yuvi said, “I think I scored 170 against Pakistan when we were 60/4 – Sourav scored a double hundred. That was one of my best innings in Test cricket. I scored 85* with Sachin on Day 5 against England on a rank turner, that is one of my most memorable moments.”

Getting married later this year:

Talking about his marriage, he said that he might get married by the first week of December. “I was supposed to get married start of this year, but then I got picked for India – so I said okay, I’ll play cricket now, get married end of the year. So yeah, I think the first week of December, I should be getting married.”

He concluded saying that with a long Test season in hands for Team India, he is looking forward to getting an opportunity.