Yuvraj Singh Biography: Yovraj Singh is one of the most celebrated cricketers in India, who has won many accolades and trophies for his country. He is known for his aggressive batting style, his brilliant fielding skills, and his ability to bowl part-time left-arm spin. He has played in all formats of the game and has been a key member of the Indian team that won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. He is also a cancer survivor, who fought the disease with courage and determination and made a remarkable comeback to the sport. In this article, we will take a look at his life story, from his birth to his achievements and honours.
Yuvraj Singh Biography
| Birth | December 12, 1981 (Ranchi, Bihar) |
| Age | 42 years |
| Full Name | Yuvraj Singh |
| Father | Yograj Singh |
| Mother | Shabnam Singh |
| Nickname | Yuvi |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | School: DAV Public School, Chandigarh
College: DAV College, Punjab University |
| Height | 6’ 0” |
| Profession | Cricketer(All-rounder) |
| Batting style | Left-handed batter |
| Bowling style | Left-arm Orthodox spin |
| Wife | Hazel Keech |
| Son | Orion Keech Singh |
| Siblings | Zoravar Singh(Elder-Brother) |
| @yuvisofficial | |
| Movie | As a Child Artist: Mehndi Sagna Di
Putt Sardara |
Yuvraj Singh Biography: Birth and Early Life
Yuvraj Singh was born on December 12, 1981, in Chandigarh, Punjab, to Yograj Singh and Shabnam Singh. His father was a former Indian cricketer, who played one Test and six ODIs for India as a fast bowler. His mother was a homemaker, who raised him and his younger brother Zoravar Singh. Yovraj was interested in sports from a young age and excelled in tennis and roller skating. He even won the National Under-14 Roller Skating Championship, but his father threw away his medal and asked him to focus on cricket.
Yovraj attended DAV Public School in Chandigarh, where he received his primary education. He also trained under his father, who coached him in the basics of cricket. He made his debut for Punjab Under-16s in the 1995-96 season when he was just 13 years old. He soon progressed to the Under-19 level and made his first-class debut for Punjab in the 1997-98 Ranji Trophy.
Yuvraj Singh Biography: Personal Life
Yuvraj Singh married Hazel Keech, a British-Mauritian model and actress, on November 30, 2016. The couple had a traditional Sikh wedding ceremony at Fatehgarh Sahib Gurudwara in Punjab, followed by a Hindu wedding ceremony in Goa. They also had a grand reception in Delhi, which was attended by many celebrities and dignitaries. The couple lives in Mumbai and does not have any children yet.
Yuvraj Singh is also involved in various social and charitable causes, such as raising awareness and funds for cancer research and treatment. He founded the YouWeCan Foundation in 2012, which aims to empower and support cancer patients and survivors. He also supports the UNICEF, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, and the Global Goals campaign.
Yuvraj Singh Biography: Cricket Career
Domestic Career
Early Years
Yuvraj Singh was born on December 12, 1981, in Chandigarh, to former cricketers Yograj Singh and Shabnam Singh. He was interested in sports from a young age and excelled in roller skating and tennis. He even won the National U-14 Roller Skating Championship as a 10-year-old. He also acted in two Punjabi films as a child star.
However, his father wanted him to pursue cricket and sent him to Mumbai to train at the Elf-Vengsarkar Cricket Academy. He also studied at the DAV Public School in Chandigarh, which was also the alma mater of another Indian cricket legend, Kapil Dev.
U-19 Career
Yuvraj Singh Biography, Yuvraj Singh made his first-class debut for Punjab against Orissa in the 1997-98 Ranji Trophy season but was dismissed for a duck in his first innings. He soon made amends by scoring a mammoth 358 runs against Bihar in the U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy final, which was more than the entire Bihar team’s total. He also scored a brilliant 149 against Haryana in the 1999-00 Ranji Trophy season.
His impressive performances earned him a place in the India U-19 team, which toured Sri Lanka in February 1999. He scored 203 runs in eight matches at an average of 33.83 and a strike rate of 103.57. He was also selected for the U-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2000, where he was the vice-captain of the team. He played a crucial role in India’s maiden U-19 World Cup triumph, scoring 58 runs in the semi-final against Australia, and 27 runs in the final against Sri Lanka.
Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy
Yuvraj Singh continued to shine in the domestic circuit, scoring heavily in the Ranji Trophy and the Duleep Trophy. He scored his first double century in first-class cricket, 209 against Jammu and Kashmir, in the 2002-03 Ranji Trophy season. He also scored 187 against South Zone in the 2004-05 Duleep Trophy final, which helped North Zone win the title.
Yuvraj Singh Biography, He was also the captain of Punjab in the 2005-06 Ranji Trophy season and led them to the semi-finals, where they lost to Uttar Pradesh. He scored 672 runs in seven matches at an average of 84, including three centuries and two fifties. He also captained North Zone in the 2007-08 Duleep Trophy and scored 130 runs in the final against Central Zone, which ended in a draw.
ODI Career
Yuvraj Singh made his ODI debut against Kenya on 3 October 2000. He did not get a chance to bat in that match, but he impressed with his fielding and bowling. He took a wicket and a catch in his first match. He got his first opportunity to bat in the next match against Australia, where he scored a brilliant 84 off 80 balls and helped India win the match. He was named the Man of the Match for his knock.
Yuvraj Singh Biography, Yuvraj Singh established himself as one of the most explosive and versatile batsmen in the middle order. He could play both the anchor and the finisher roles, depending on the situation. He was also a handy left-arm spinner and a brilliant fielder. He was part of the Indian team that reached the final of the 2003 World Cup, where he scored 69 runs and took a wicket against Australia. He also won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002, where he was the joint Man of the Series with Virender Sehwag.
Yuvraj Singh’s finest hour came in the 2011 World Cup, where he played a pivotal role in India’s triumph. He scored 362 runs and took 15 wickets in nine matches, becoming the first player to score 300 runs and take 15 wickets in a single World Cup. He scored four fifties and a century and also took two four-wicket hauls. He was the Man of the Match in four matches, including the quarter-final against Australia and the semi-final against Pakistan. He was also the Man of the Match in the final against Sri Lanka, where he scored 21 runs and took two wickets. He was awarded the Player of the Tournament award for his all-round performance.
Yuvraj Singh played his last ODI against West Indies on 30 June 2017. He scored 39 runs in that match. He announced his retirement from international cricket on 10 June 2019. He finished his ODI career with 8701 runs and 111 wickets in 304 matches. He scored 14 centuries and 52 half-centuries, with a highest score of 150. He also took one five-wicket haul, with a best of 5/31. He is the seventh-highest run-scorer and the ninth-highest wicket-taker for India in ODIs.
Test Career
Yuvraj Singh Biography, Yuvraj Singh made his Test debut against New Zealand on 16 October 2003. He scored 20 and 5 runs in his first match. He scored his first Test century against Pakistan on 13 March 2004, where he scored 112 runs in the first innings. He also took a wicket and a catch in that match. He was named the Man of the Match for his performance.
Yuvraj Singh never cemented his place in the Test team, as he faced stiff competition from other middle-order batsmen. He was often in and out of the team and also suffered from injuries and illness. He played his last Test against England on 9 December 2012. He scored 11 and 8 runs in that match. He announced his retirement from international cricket on 10 June 2019. He finished his Test career with 1900 runs and 9 wickets in 40 matches. He scored 3 centuries and 11 half-centuries, with a highest score of 169. He also took one four-wicket haul, with a best of 2/9. He is the 26th-highest run-scorer and the 67th-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests.
T20 Career
Yuvraj Singh Biography, Yuvraj Singh made his T20 debut against Scotland on 13 September 2007. He scored 35 runs off 18 balls and took a wicket in his first match. He played a key role in India’s victory in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007. He scored 148 runs and took 3 wickets in six matches. He also created history by hitting six sixes in an over against England, becoming the first player to do so in a T20 international. He also scored the fastest fifty in T20 internationals, reaching the milestone in 12 balls. He was named the Man of the Match for his record-breaking innings.
Yuvraj Singh continued to be a vital member of the Indian T20 team, with his ability to score quick runs and take crucial wickets. He was part of the Indian team that reached the final of the 2014 World Twenty20, where he scored 60 runs and took 4 wickets in six matches. He played his last T20 against England on 1 February 2017. He scored 27 runs in that match.
He announced his retirement from international cricket on 10 June 2019. He finished his T20 career with 1177 runs and 28 wickets in 58 matches. He scored 8 half-centuries, with a highest score of 77 not out. He also took one four-wicket haul, with a best of 3/17. He is the 11th-highest run-scorer and the 15th-highest wicket-taker for India in T20s.
IPL Career
Yuvraj Singh Biography, Yuvraj Singh was one of the most sought-after players in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the most popular T20 league in the world. He played for six different franchises in his IPL career, namely Punjab Kings, Pune Warriors India, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mumbai Indians. He was the most expensive player in the IPL auctions twice, in 2014 and 2015 when he was bought for 14 crores and 16 crores respectively. He won the IPL title twice, in 2016 with Sunrisers Hyderabad and in 2019 with Mumbai Indians.
Yuvraj Singh played his first IPL match for Punjab Kings against Chennai Super Kings on 19 April 2008. He scored 14 runs and took a wicket in that match. He scored his first IPL century against Royal Challengers Bangalore on 22 May 2009, where he scored 100 runs off 64 balls. He also took a wicket and a catch in that match. He was named the Man of the Match for his knock.
Yuvraj Singh played his last IPL match for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Capitals on 18 May 2019. He scored 1 run in that match. He did not play in the final, where Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings by one run to win the title. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on 10 June 2019. He finished his IPL career with 2750 runs and 36 wickets in 132 matches. He scored 13 half-centuries, with a highest score of 83. He also took one four-wicket haul, with a best of 4/29. He is the 30th-highest run-scorer and the 69th-highest wicket-taker in the IPL.
Yuvraj Singh Biography: Cancer and Comeback
Yuvraj Singh was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called mediastinal seminoma, a germ-cell tumour located between his two lungs, in February 2012. He had been suffering from breathing difficulties, nausea, vomiting and blood in his cough during the 2011 World Cup, but had ignored the symptoms. He underwent chemotherapy in the US and lost his hair and weight during the treatment. He also faced depression and anxiety but received support from his family, friends and fans. He completed his treatment in March 2012 and returned to India in April 2012. He was honoured with the Arjuna Award, India’s second highest sporting honour, by the President of India in August 2012.
Yuvraj Singh made his comeback to international cricket in September 2012, playing a T20 match against New Zealand. He scored 34 runs off 26 balls and took one wicket. He also played in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, where he scored 66 runs and took eight wickets, but India failed to reach the
Yuvraj Singh Biography: Awards and Honours
Yuvraj Singh has received many awards and honours for his contribution to Indian cricket and his fight against cancer. Some of them are:
- Padma Shri: India’s fourth highest civilian honour, awarded in 2014.
- Arjuna Award: India’s second-highest sporting honour, awarded in 2012.
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna: India’s highest sporting honour, awarded in 2017.
- ICC ODI Player of the Year: Awarded in 2011 for his performance in the 2011 World Cup.
- ICC World ODI XI: Selected in 2006, 2009 and 2011.
- ICC World T20 XI: Selected in 2007 and 2009.
- Wisden Cricketer of the Year: Awarded in 2012 for his performance in the 2011 World Cup.
- CNN-IBN Indian of the Year: Awarded in 2011 for his performance in the 2011 World Cup and his battle with cancer.
- FICCI Most Inspiring Sportsperson of the Year: Awarded in 2014 for his comeback to cricket after cancer treatment.
- Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year: Awarded in 2014 for his comeback to cricket after cancer treatment.