Yuvaraj Sing Indian All rounder in his best form

Full name Yuvraj Singh
Born December 12, 1981, Chandigarh
Current age 25 years 268 days
Major teams India, Asia XI, Punjab, Yorkshire
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox
Relations Father - B Yograj Singh

Statsguru Test player, ODI player

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St

	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5	10

Career statistics

Profile

Generously gifted, Yuvraj Singh is looked upon as a strong, fearless natural destined for great things. Two months short of his 19th birthday, he made an almost messianic entry into international cricket, toppling Australia in the Nairobi Mini-World Cup in 2000-01, with a blistering 84 and some scintillating fielding. In time he was to supplement these skills with clever, loopy left-arm spin. While Yuvraj's ability to hit the ball long and clean were instantly recognised, he was soon found to be troubled by quality spin and perceived to lack commitment, traits for which he temporarily lost his place in the one-day side. But on returning, for the last two one-dayers against Zimbabwe in early 2002, he swung the series India's way with a matchwinning innings in each game, and then went to England and played a key role in three Indian chases in their dream run in the NatWest tri-series. It took 15 months more, and an injury to his captain, Sourav Ganguly, for Yuvraj to get a Test look-in. On the third such opportunity, against Pakistan on the first day on a greentop at Lahore, he stroked a stunning century off 110 balls. The 2005-06 season proved to be a watershed for Yuvraj, with 1161 runs at 58 in the one-dayers, as he transformed himself into one of the keystones in India's batting line-up. He was soon preferred over VVS Laxman in Tests when India went in with five batsmen, but a lean series in the West Indies meant that he was still struggling to match potential with performance.

A tall, well-built lad, Yuvraj Singh strikes the ball very hard. Although critics feel that he is uncomfortable and imbalanced driving off the front foot, this does not reflect in his performance so far. A useful left arm spinner, Yuvraj sometimes refrains from bowling because of a recurring back strain that has threatened to put him oua at Nairobi (Gymk), ICC KnockOut, 2000/01 Yuvraj is primarily a left-handed batsman but can bowl part-time left-arm orthodox spin. He is regarded as being a better player of fast bowling than spin bowling, and cites the Indian Oil Cup 2005 as a turning point in his career . He is one of the better fielders in the Indian team, fielding primarily at point, with a good aim at the stumps. A Cricinfo report in late 2005 showed that since 1999, he was the fourth most prolific fielder in effecting ODI run outs, and of those on the list of prolific fielders, he had the second highest rate of effecting a run out . He was previously often characterized as having attitude problems, but now often assumes leadership positions whilst either captain Rahul Dravid or vice-captain Virender Sehwag are absent.

Yuvraj first came to attention when he captained the U-19 Punjab cricket team in the final of the Cooch-Behar Trophy against Bihar U-19s, in which he scored 358 . He then gained selection for the U-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka in January 2000, where he was part of a team lead by Mohammed Kaif which won the tournament Yuvraj made his One-day International debut against Kenya at Nairobi in 2000, at the ICC Knock-Out Trophy. He showed his potential in his second ODI which was against the Australians where he scored a quickfire 84 off 82 balls against a quality pace attack consisting of bowlers like Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie. However, after a lean run of form, he was dropped for the one-dayers against Australia in India in early 2001, but returned later in the year and helped India to victory in a match in Sri Lanka with an unbeaten 98. One of his most memorable innings was a partnership with Mohammad Kaif in the Natwest Series final against England in July 2002 which led India to victory. He was selected and represented India at the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He scored his first century in his fourth season with the Indian team against Bangladesh in 2003. After that he also scored hundreds against Zimbabwe and Australia, including a 139 off 119 balls at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In the Indian Oil Cup 2005, he made 110 (of 114 balls) (his third century) and an important partnership worth 165 runs with Mohammad Kaif, to become the man of the match against West Indies in the last match of the round robin league. After reaching his century, he attracted attention by angry gesticulations to the Indian dressing room, which was postulated to be due to his clashes with team management. Greg Chappell had been appointed as the new Indian coach he had cricticised Singh. He later praised Chappell's techniques. Yuvraj has had a recent (late 2005 to early 2006) run of good form in the ODI format of the game. He was named as the man of the series in three consecutive series, against South Africa (joint with Irfan Pathan), and then against Pakistan and England, in which he scored three centuries and four half-centuries in fifteen matches, which propelled him into the top ten of the ICC ODI batting rankings. During the Pakistan tour, at times when captain and vice-captain Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag were absent, Yuvraj was the on-field captain, indicating that he may be seen as a potential captain Yuvraj made his Test debut against New Zealand in Mohali in late 2003 in front of his home crowd in Punjab due to the absence of regular captain Sourav Ganguly in the No. 6 position. He was omitted upon Ganguly's return but got another another opportunity in the Test team in the 2004 Tour to Pakistan, when Ganguly was again injured. He scored his first Test century in a losing effort against Pakistan in the second Test at Lahore. When Ganguly returned for the third Test, Akash Chopra was dropped and it appeared that the Indian selectors wanted to give him a regular place in the team. He was subsequently played as Virender Sehwag's opening partner, but after two poor matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, he was dropped in favour of Gautam Gambhir. He was recalled to the Test team, batting in the No. 6 position for the away series against Zimbabwe in August 2005 after Sachin Tendulkar was sidelined with tennis elbow. He then retained his position in the Test team after Ganguly was axed following a row with coach Greg Chappell. He scored a second Test century in the third Test against Pakistan, which India again lost