Is Yuvraj Singh of 2011 World Cup ever coming back?

Yuvraj Singh was the star of the 2011 world Cup. He was the pillar, the all round performer for India. He scored 1 Century & 4 Half Centuries in the World Cup 2011 took 15 wickets, putting him among the top 10 bowlers of the world cup 2011. For his Magical performance in 2011 cricket world cup he was declared as a Man Of The Tournament. Yuvraj Singh was on a high. He had reached the pinnacle of success.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India nominated Yuvraj Singh for the Arjuna Award, after his man of the series performance in the 2011 World Cup. Everyone felt nothing could go wrong. But who would have imagined in their wildest dreams that Yuvraj was diagnosed with cancer.

This sad news was devastating. Yuvraj had to undergo medical treatment for over a year to fully recover from this dreaded disease. He fought against cancer and in the end proved to be a fighter, a real survivor. Everyone was anticipating his return to cricket after cancer.

Many arm-chair critics were of the view that after winning the battle against cancer, Yuvraj Singh’s selection in the team was more of an emotional decision by the selectors, as he lacked match fitness. But this time around, the southpaw from Punjab has certainly earned his place in the side by showing consistency while playing for India A and India Blue.

But unfortunately, his form wasn’t the same on the international circuit. His 23 ODI innings after his comeback in September 2012 includes 0 hundreds, and an average of less than 20, with a high score of 61. Not ever been a Test regular, he’s just scored 2 50’s in 6 innings at an average of below 30.  At the domestic front, he’s been ruthless, notching tons almost at will, but the inability to translate those scores on the international stage for quite some time has been worrisome. His out-of-form status, which was only spoken about in a hushed voice until now, has now become a serious cause for concern. How long can the Indian think-tank hold on to him?

Timing and power, and the ability to combine both qualities with devastating effect, is what makes Yuvraj Singh one of the most destructive batsmen in one-day internationals. He may have problems against quality swing and seam bowling, but on a subcontinent pitch, few batsmen can take the game away from an opponent quicker than Yuvraj. Yuvraj could still pay dividends in the near future and, if circumstances permit, during the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand too. Of course, roping in him despite of a prolonged failure would be tomfoolery, but it wouldn’t harm to stick with him for the time being, at least. There is little over a year for that celebrated tournament to begin, and it would be sensible to include Yuvraj in the plans for at least two more series, including the current one, for this is the time to try all permutations and combinations. It takes just one good, long hit in the middle to get back in the scheme of things, and Yuvraj certainly deserves that run. His commitment cannot be questioned — his voluntary training with Tim Exeter in Europe speaks volumes of that trait of his. For all his effort and experience, it could pay off to a be patient for a little while longer.