When we talk about India's greatest match winners in the white ball formats, one name that will always come up is Yuvraj Singh. From his debut innings against Australia in the ICC KnockOut Trophy in 2000 to his retirement in 2017, he played numerous memorable innings for India. But, what sets him apart was that many of those knocks came when it was needed the most.
EARLY CAREER
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Though he had very good performances in domestic cricket at the start of his career, but his breakthrough point of the career was the 2000 Under 19 Cricket World Cup. India won the tournament and he was the player of the tournament. This included 58(25) against Australia in the Semi Final. This was probably start of the many great innings he would go on to play in important games for India, especially against Australia.
Yuvraj Singh made his debut for the India Senior team against Kenya in the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy Pre-Quarter Finals. His debut innings came against Australia a few days later in the Quarter Finals and he made his maiden innings an occassion to remember. Against an attack that had the likes of Glenn McGrath, Brett and Shane Lee, Jason Gillespie, he stroked his way to a brilliant 84 off 80 balls.
Yuvraj Singh kept on playing many good innings for India in ODIs but he remained quite inconsistent in his early days. But whenever he scored runs, he scored at a good pace. In addition to his batting, he was a good part-timer and a very good fielder in his initial days.
One of the best knocks of his career came in the Final of the 2002 NatWest Trophy. India was 146/5 while chasing 325, and he bailed India out of trouble with a brilliant 69 off 63 deliveries. He scored 62 in the Semi Final of 2002 ICC Champions Trophy helping India reach the finals and later becoming the Joint Winners. Though he had quiet an average 2003 World Cup, he scored crucial fifties against Pakistan and Kenya, and also a brisk 42 against England.
Yuvraj Singh scored his maiden ODI hundred against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2003. In the same year in October, he also made his Test Debut. He had quite a few good performances till 2005, but his best knock was arguably 139(122) against Australia in the 2003-04 Tri Series involving Australia, India and Zimbabwe. He scored his maiden Test Hundred against Pakistan at Lahore in 2004.
CAREER PEAK (2005-2012)
Till 2004 Yuvraj Singh had an ODI average below 30. However, during the 2005-2011 period, he scored at an average of nearly 43. Also his major good Test and T20 knocks also came in this period. Though during that period he played many knocks to remember, he will be mainly remembered for his performances in the 2007 World T20 and 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.
2007 World T20 and 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup
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He played a crucial role in helping India win the 2007 World T20. He scored 58(16) in a must win game against England in the Super Eights. During the course of the innings, he became the second cricketer to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket. He also recorded the then quickest T20I fifty off 12 balls. In the Semi Finals against Australia, he played one of the greatest knocks of his career and scored a brilliant 70 off just 30 deliveries.
2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was undoubtedly the greatest thing that happened in life for Yuvraj Singh. He scored 362 runs at an average of 90.50 and strike rate of 86.19. This included 4 half centuries and one century. He also picked up 15 wickets at an average of 25.13. He became the first and only cricketer till know to score 300 runs and pick 15 wickets in the same tournament. He won the player of the match award four times in the tournament. He eventually was the player of the tournament and India went on to lift the World Cup for the second time.
DEFEATING CANCER AND RETURN TO CRICKET
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Yuvraj Singh had to remain out of cricket soon after the 2011 World Cup due to cancer. However given the fighter he is, he defeated cancer and made a return to Cricket. He played for India till 2017 and professional cricket till 2019.
Though he was not the same cricketer as he was before, he did put on many great performances for India and the other teams he played for. This included a career best ODI score of 150(127) against England in 2017. This also came in a tough situation when India was tottering at 25/3.
IPL CAREER
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Yuvraj Singh represented 6 different teams in IPL - Delhi Daredevils(now Delhi Capitals)(2015), Pune Warriors India(2011,2013), Kings XI Punjab(now Punjab Kings)(2008-2010), Royal Challengers Bangalore(2014), Sunrisers Hyderabad(2016-2017) and Mumbai Indians(2018-2019). In a total of 132 matches, he scored 2750 runs at an average of 24.77 and strike rate of 129.72. He also picked up 36 wickets at an average of 29.92 and economy rate of 7.44. He also had two hat-tricks against his name, both coming in the 2009 edition in South Africa. He also captained his team in 43 IPL games, winning 21 and loosing 21.
CAREER STATISTICS
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ODI
Matches 304
Runs 8701
Average 36.56
Strike Rate 87.69
50s 52
100s 14
Highest 150
Wickets 111
Average 38.68
Economy Rate 5.10
4 Ws 3
5 Ws 1
Best 5/31
Catches 94
Test
Matches 40
Innings Batted 62
Runs 1900
Average 33.93
50s 111
100s 3
Highest 169
Wickets 9
Average 60.78
Catches 31
T20I
Matches 58
Runs 1177
Average 28.02
Strike Rate 136.38
50s 8
Highest 77*
Wickets 28
Average 17.82
Economy Rate 7.06
Best 3/17
Catches 12
NOTABLE RECORDS
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He has the 6th most player of the series award in ODIs(7)
He is one of the three Indians to score 50+ and take a 5 wicket haul in the same ODI. He scored 50* and took 5/31 against Ireland in the 2011 ICC Cricket WC
He is also one of the three Indians to score a hundred and pick a 4 wicket haul in the same ODI. He scored 118 and took 4/28 vs England in 2008.
He along with M.S.Dhoni share the 2nd highest partnership for the 4th wicket in ODIs. The duo added 256 vs England at Cuttack in 2017, where he went on to register his career best score of 150.
He currently holds the record for the second fastest T20I fifty.
He is one of the two cricketers to hit six sixes in an over in T20Is
