Yuvraj provides Christmas cheers for down-in-the-dumps Indian cricket

By Kersi Meher-Homji
2012 has been a miserable year for Indian cricket. The 2011 World Cup champions who were at one stage ranked on top in Test cricket that year have plummeted down, down, down.
Not only overseas but also on home pitches made for India’s strength; spin, spin, spin.
In the previous few years, many Indians could make it to an imaginary World XI: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh…
With the retirement of Kumble, Dravid, VVS and the lack of form from the others, not one Indian can be included in the Best Test Eleven of 2012. Only Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli can make it to the Best Test squad of fifteen players.
But the final week of 2012 has provided some Christmas cheer in limited-overs cricket. Left-arm all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has given us something to celebrate, a much-needed blood transfusion. And to think that last year he was on chemotherapy to battle cancer. He sure is an inspiration to not only other underperforming Indian cricketers but to us all.
After losing the home Test series to England, Yuvraj was behind India’s morale-boosting fight back in the T20 internationals against England and Pakistan. In four internationals, he was made Man of the Match twice and Man of the Series once.
In the Pune T20 international against England last week he captured 3 for 19 in four overs and top-scored with 37 as India won by five wickets. Although India lost the next match in Mumbai to draw the series 1-1, he took 3 for 17 in four economical overs.
Then started two T20 internationals against Pakistan, a historic occasion as the neighbours have not played each other in India since 2005. India lost the first match in Bangalore by five wickets as Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez hit 61.
But India gained revenge by winning the next match in Ahmedabad by 11 runs, thanks to Yuvraj’s magnificent 72 in 36 balls with four fours and seven towering sixes.
Quickie Ashok Dinda also contributed to this victory by taking three crucial wickets. Hope Yuvraj and Dinda continue their good work in the three ODIs against Pakistan starting tomorrow (30th December).
With Sehwag returning to the Indian side, the pendulum will swing to India.
Sadly, we won’t see the legendary Tendulkar in an ODI anymore. Thanks for the memories, Sachin Tendulkar.
Sachin, your records in both Tests and ODIs will never be broken. We all hope that you score well in the Test series against Australia in February-March and then call it a day on a high note.

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