Former India captain Virat Kohli considered Yuvraj Singh to be one of his mentors when he first entered the Indian team. Kohli was the one who encourage Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to pick Yuvraj at the IPL auction as well.
For contrary of belief of Yuvraj’s father Yograj Singh that MS Dhoni was the one behind early end of his son’s career, it was Kohli who played a big hand in the Punjab southpaw’s early retirement. This fact was revealed by MS Dhoni’s former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teammate Robin Uthappa in an interview recently.
Yuvraj played a key role in India’s victory in both the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. However, shortly after leading the team to its second World Cup title, Yuvraj was diagnosed with cancer. Despite this life-threatening challenge, he triumphed over the disease and made a remarkable comeback to the Indian team. Unfortunately, he struggled to regain the form he had previously set for himself, and after a series of inconsistent performances, he was eventually dropped from the team following the 2017 Champions Trophy.
In a candid reflection on Yuvraj’s battle with cancer and his return to cricket, former India and CSK star Robin Uthappa indirectly pointed to Virat Kohli’s leadership as a factor in Yuvraj’s exclusion from the team. Uthappa emphasized the importance of showing respect for a player who had overcome such immense personal adversity and had played a crucial role in securing multiple World Cup victories for India.
“Look at Yuvi Pa’s case. He fought cancer and was trying to make a comeback to the national side. This is the same player who helped win two World Cups, not just as a part of the team, but as a key figure. Yet, when someone like him, who has been through so much, struggles to get back into the squad, the captain says that his lung capacity has diminished. As a captain, you need to uphold a certain standard, but there should always be exceptions for players who have contributed as significantly as Yuvi. He didn’t just win tournaments for India—he beat cancer. He overcame life’s hardest challenge. Yet, some people question whether there’s room for him,” Uthappa remarked in an interview with Lallantop.
Uthappa went on to reveal that Yuvraj had requested a two-point deduction in the fitness test due to his health issues, but was denied. Nevertheless, Yuvraj passed the fitness test and returned to the team. Unfortunately, after a subpar performance in the 2017 Champions Trophy, he was dropped again and never brought back into the squad.
“When Yuvi asked for the two-point deduction, he didn’t get it. But he still passed the fitness test and made it back into the team. However, after a disappointing tournament, he was dropped completely, and nobody entertained the idea of bringing him back. At that time, Virat Kohli was the captain, and his leadership style, with its strong personality, made the decisions final,” Uthappa added.
Uthappa also took a subtle jab at Virat Kohli’s leadership style, describing it as ‘my way or the highway.’ He emphasized that while strong leadership is important, it is equally vital to consider how a leader treats the team and its players, not just focusing on results.
“I haven’t played much under Virat’s captaincy, but when I did, his style was very much ‘my way or the highway.’ It’s not that other captains don’t have a similar approach, but leadership is about more than just the results. It’s about how you treat your team and your players,” Uthappa concluded.
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