TNI Bureau: The ‘Yuvraj’ of Indian Cricket is back with bang in domestic cricket. Comeback man Yuvraj Singh marked his return to first-class cricket by converting his first-day 133 into a double-century on day two and took North Zone to 451 runs vs Central Zone in the semi-final of the Duleep Trophy at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Monday.
He slammed 208 runs before Central Zone bowler Murali Kartik took a return catch to dismiss him. He scored at an impressive rate of 86.00. He faced 241 deliveries and hit 33 fours and 3 sixes. However, he fell one short of a career-best 209.
Yuvraj, 30, who was judged man of the tournament in India’s World Cup triumph last year, was treated for the cancer between his lungs in the United States earlier this year. Returning from chemotherapy treatment in April and by August, he had been fast-tracked into the Indian team for the recent World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.
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This innings of double ton will certainly end any doubts whatsoever about Yuvraj’s fitness and his ability to withstand the rigours of longer version of the game after recovering from rare germ cell cancer. With England due to arrive in India next month for a four-Test series starting from November 15 in Ahmedabad, Yuvraj appears to have put his name in the reckoning for selection with this marathon innings.
The stylist all-rounder has not played Test cricket since November last year when he turned out for two matches against the touring West Indies. He has played 37 Tests since his international debut in 2000, scoring 1,775 runs at an average of 34.80 with three centuries. He has also claimed nine Test wickets with his left-arm spin.
Yuvraj’s innings can give Sandeep Patil and Co another option in the Indian Test team’s middle-order. With his handy left-arm spin to complement his elegant batting, the southpaw is the strong contender to get back in the Test squad of India.