Yuvraj Singh is the greatest Indian batsman of all-time in One Day and T20. Also, Yuvraj is the greatest match winner India has produced. In fact he is one of the five or eight greatest One-Day or T20 batsmen of all-time in the World. Yuvraj Singh in top gear is a lovely sight to watch, more amazing than an imperious Sehwag and a certain Sachin Tendulkar. If you take Yuvraj Singh's bowling and fielding into consideration, he is the greatest ever Indian cricketer in Shorter formats of the game, may be save the greatest Indian all-rounder of the all-time Kapil Dev.
When a batsman hit six sixes in an over bowled by a fast bowler, and a bowler of the class, it speak volumes about the ability of the batsman. In fact the most notable fact is that Yuvraj Singh is the only batsman to have hit six sixes in an over off a fast bowler. The other one in Hershelle Gibbs who have scored six sixes in International cricket has scored against spin bowler. The two other guys who have achieved this feat of scoring six sixes in an over, not in International cricket, but in domestic cricket are Gary Sobers and Ravi Shastri who have hit those six sixes against a spin bowlers. So Yuvraj Singh is the only cricketer who has scored six sixes off the fast bowler.
I have never seen Sachin Tendulkar do such amazing things like Yuvraj Singh when he batted in the middle order. It was during the initial years his career that Yuvraj Singh has forged a historic partnership with Mohammad Kaif secure one of the rare wins in finals of a tournament, and it was achieved after India had lost five wickets for hundred odd runs chasing a mammoth 325 set by England. I have never seen Sachin Tendulkar play such innings in his initial career when he batted in the middle order. Yuvraj Singh has secured many such wins when his team was in trouble forging partnerships with players like Kaif during his initial career and Dhoni in the last two to three years.
Yuvraj Singh is particularly destructive against fast bowlers. He can destroy spinners as well, but looks more susceptible against them.
Yuvraj Singh is also a selfless cricketer and to some extent a humble guy. Mohammad Azharuddin was a selfless cricketer and gave least importance to his records, a trait I find in Yuvraj Singh in the recent times. He never questioned selectors decision to drop him from the test team throughout his career. I think Yuvraj Singh is definitely better than Sourav Ganguly as batsman and would have added more value to the test team as a fielder and a handy part-time spinner. In fact at this time, I think Yuvraj Singh can be picked in the Indian team instead of Harbhajan Singh as a bowler because Yuvraj Singh has been a more successful bowler than Harbhajan Singh in One Day format and T20 format of the game and that could have been true had he bowled as much as Harbhajan did in test cricket, and can you ever neglect the batting and fielding of Yuvraj Singh.
Why Yuvraj Singh has not been part of Indian test team is the greatest dilemma I ever faced in Indian cricket after Mohammad Azharuddin being singled out in match fixing scandal. I distinctly remember him playing a great counter-attaching innings against Pakistan after an upcoming Umar Gul had ran through the Indian batting line up. Yuvraj Singh was one of the key player for India in that series and despite those amazing efforts he never cemented a place in the test team. If I was a selector I would have definitely gone with Yuvraj Singh instead of Sourav Ganguly.
I think India should include Yuvraj Singh in the test team and stick with him for a long time. He should also be tried as a bowler as much as a regular spinner and I believe he will be more successful. I have the instinct that given Indian selectors give Yuvraj another chance and stick with him for a long time, and also use him as a bowler regularly, he could be an asset to the test team as well. I had picked Yuvraj Singh as to be the man for India if India had to win the World Cup and that has come true.
When a batsman hit six sixes in an over bowled by a fast bowler, and a bowler of the class, it speak volumes about the ability of the batsman. In fact the most notable fact is that Yuvraj Singh is the only batsman to have hit six sixes in an over off a fast bowler. The other one in Hershelle Gibbs who have scored six sixes in International cricket has scored against spin bowler. The two other guys who have achieved this feat of scoring six sixes in an over, not in International cricket, but in domestic cricket are Gary Sobers and Ravi Shastri who have hit those six sixes against a spin bowlers. So Yuvraj Singh is the only cricketer who has scored six sixes off the fast bowler.
I have never seen Sachin Tendulkar do such amazing things like Yuvraj Singh when he batted in the middle order. It was during the initial years his career that Yuvraj Singh has forged a historic partnership with Mohammad Kaif secure one of the rare wins in finals of a tournament, and it was achieved after India had lost five wickets for hundred odd runs chasing a mammoth 325 set by England. I have never seen Sachin Tendulkar play such innings in his initial career when he batted in the middle order. Yuvraj Singh has secured many such wins when his team was in trouble forging partnerships with players like Kaif during his initial career and Dhoni in the last two to three years.
Yuvraj Singh is particularly destructive against fast bowlers. He can destroy spinners as well, but looks more susceptible against them.
Yuvraj Singh is also a selfless cricketer and to some extent a humble guy. Mohammad Azharuddin was a selfless cricketer and gave least importance to his records, a trait I find in Yuvraj Singh in the recent times. He never questioned selectors decision to drop him from the test team throughout his career. I think Yuvraj Singh is definitely better than Sourav Ganguly as batsman and would have added more value to the test team as a fielder and a handy part-time spinner. In fact at this time, I think Yuvraj Singh can be picked in the Indian team instead of Harbhajan Singh as a bowler because Yuvraj Singh has been a more successful bowler than Harbhajan Singh in One Day format and T20 format of the game and that could have been true had he bowled as much as Harbhajan did in test cricket, and can you ever neglect the batting and fielding of Yuvraj Singh.
Why Yuvraj Singh has not been part of Indian test team is the greatest dilemma I ever faced in Indian cricket after Mohammad Azharuddin being singled out in match fixing scandal. I distinctly remember him playing a great counter-attaching innings against Pakistan after an upcoming Umar Gul had ran through the Indian batting line up. Yuvraj Singh was one of the key player for India in that series and despite those amazing efforts he never cemented a place in the test team. If I was a selector I would have definitely gone with Yuvraj Singh instead of Sourav Ganguly.
I think India should include Yuvraj Singh in the test team and stick with him for a long time. He should also be tried as a bowler as much as a regular spinner and I believe he will be more successful. I have the instinct that given Indian selectors give Yuvraj another chance and stick with him for a long time, and also use him as a bowler regularly, he could be an asset to the test team as well. I had picked Yuvraj Singh as to be the man for India if India had to win the World Cup and that has come true.
