‘I don’t have to bother about anything except getting runs’

[DesiChap]

‘I don’t have to bother about anything except getting runs’ - A TELEGRAPH SPECIAL - Yuvraj Singh, MoS in the ODIs versus Pak, opens up

New Delhi: Team India’s ODI (and Twenty20) vice-captain, Yuvraj Singh, has struck a purple patch. He may, of course, still not make the XI when the Test series begins here on Thursday. MoS in the ODIs against Pakistan, Yuvraj spoke to The Telegraph at the Le Meredien on Tuesday evening. The following are excerpts On having bagged his fourth MoS award, on Sunday, this time 19 months after his last (at home, versus England) I’ve been batting well for the last six months or so (starting with the ODIs in Ireland)… However, I’d only got one big score against Australia in the series before Pakistan and, so, was determined to score big in every alternate match at least… I’m happy I could get fifties four times out of five. On whether the award has enhanced his claims for a berth in the Test XI Well… My job is to get runs… If the team management feels I fit into the XI, then I’m going to be there… It’s not for me to tell people that I should be in the team… I don’t have to bother about anything except getting runs. On his most satisfying innings of the series The 77 in Kanpur, where the wicket was low and slow. In the past, I’d been criticised for not doing well on such surfaces… On being disciplined for the first time by a Match Referee (Roshan Mahanama in Jaipur) Till that evening, I’d never shown dissent in seven-plus years of international cricket… It happened in the heat of the moment and I apologised to the umpire (Suresh Shastri, who’d actually erred)… I reacted that way (indicating the ball had gone off his shoulder) because we were then in a critical phase of our chase… We lost, but I could have… On what drives form Quite a few factors… Hard work most definitely and there’s the element of luck too… You’ve got to work hard and your game has to be disciplined. On the areas where he could improve I’m looking to finish games more consistently… The more one plays, the better one becomes. On being looked upon purely as an excellent one-day batsman That’s because I’ve largely played ODIs in the seven years of my career… If I get to play Tests in the next seven, then I’m sure I’ll be looked upon differently. What’s happening is part of my journey. On his last Test having been 16 months ago Yeah… It was in the West Indies (Kingston)… The reality is that I’ve just played 19 Tests. On whether his motivation suffers, particularly on tours, when he’s regularly out of the Test XI It’s difficult and can get frustrating, but what to do? It was especially tough on the summer tour of England… I’ve always had to make maximum use of the opportunities. On the superb understanding between him and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni Usually, one needs to call well… That, they say, is crucial to any pair succeeding. Where Dhoni and I are concerned, we don’t need to call… The eye contact suffices. (After a pause) Fact is we enjoy each other’s batting and enjoy batting together… If I’m bogged down, Dhoni hits a four… Similarly, if he’s under pressure, I get a boundary… If there’s an off-spinner bowling, then Dhoni goes after him… If there’s a left-arm spinner, then I’m going to go after him. We don’t allow the momentum to suffer. Plus, his presence gives me confidence and my being at the other end gives him confidence. On having allowed Dhoni to hit the winning runs in Gwalior (Laughs) Dhoni likes to hit them, likes to end the match with a six… He’d asked me to get my fifty and, then, leave the series-winning runs for him. As it turned out, I got my fifty (53 not out) and he got the runs which gave us the six-wicket win and the series. On whether his 6x6 World Twenty20 feat has made it tougher for him Crowds do expect me to keep hitting sixes, that’s something I’ve got to live with. But I’ve got to judge what the situation demands and play accordingly. On whether, nowadays, there’s less tension in Indo-Pak face-offs There’s no drop in intensity and the tension isn’t less. The one change today is that the teams concentrate on good cricket instead of abusing each other… It’s because we’ve been playing so often, the hype is probably less. The pressure isn’t, though. Finally, on India’s newest Test captain, Anil Kumble Kumble has always been regarded as one of our best… He has always been respected and will continue to be respected. Kumble, I feel, is perhaps the most intelligent in our team.

[Yuvraj4Captaincy]

thx....he gotta keep goinn if hes to become one of the greats and get runs in tests too..he got the talent, just gotta utilize it with patience, skills and hard work.

[Guest Yograj Singh]

Laxman is just an old git... He will be kicked out of the team any time and my son Yuvraj will rightfully claim his place in the team. I personally know that the team management is waiting for Laxman to fail in the first test. To make that happen , they are going to make open the batting against the moving ball with Akhtar and Gul bowling. They are also searching ways to somehow make Asif play in the series. Then, Asif will clean-up Laxman everytime and he will look like kid lost in an exhibition.

[fineleg]

Laxman is just an old git... He will be kicked out of the team any time and my son Yuvraj will rightfully claim his place in the team. I personally know that the team management is waiting for Laxman to fail in the first test. To make that happen , they are going to make open the batting against the moving ball with Akhtar and Gul bowling. They are also searching ways to somehow make Asif play in the series. Then, Asif will clean-up Laxman everytime and he will look like kid lost in an exhibition.

B.S. post. This kind of a post is what makes ppl have a go at YS in this forum (not saying the latter is correct, but this is an instigating type of post)

[Ram]

Laxman is just an old git... He will be kicked out of the team any time and my son Yuvraj will rightfully claim his place in the team. I personally know that the team management is waiting for Laxman to fail in the first test. To make that happen , they are going to make open the batting against the moving ball with Akhtar and Gul bowling. They are also searching ways to somehow make Asif play in the series. Then, Asif will clean-up Laxman everytime and he will look like kid lost in an exhibition.

What crap.. This guy is just instigating even the supporters of Yuvraj Singh. What a joker !

[Anakin]

His ID is yograj, what do you expect?