Yuvraj Singh is known for sharing his wisdom with youngsters. Players like Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma have benefited immensely from his guidance during their formative years. Long before Gill and Abhishek came into the reckoning, Yuvraj had told me, “Watch out for these two. They will go far.” He also played an influential role in helping Virat Kohli understand his potential and scale the heights he has reached today.
Generous with praise for his teammates, Yuvraj rarely talks about his own contributions, preferring instead to give credit to others. In this conversation, too, he was reluctant to elaborate on the support he provided a young Virat in the middle. They shared a common trait: both were match-winners with a superb ability to finish games.
It was in Sri Lanka in 2008 that Virat first batted alongside Yuvraj. In Dambulla, Yuvraj walked in after Virat’s dismissal in the first ODI. Two days later, at the same venue, the two found themselves together in the middle. “I remember his batting position kept changing. He opened in five matches and batted at No. 7 in the last two. Our first partnership is still vivid. It was short (36 runs) but crucial because we had lost two early wickets (16/2),” Yuvraj recalled.
That adaptability would serve Virat well throughout his career.
Batting with Virat was “always fun” for Yuvraj. “We batted together a bit in domestic cricket as well. We always cracked jokes. We batted a lot together in the World Cup (2011). He would bat at No. 4 and I was at No. 5. I think he got run out twice while batting with me, and both times he blamed me, even though it was actually his fault. He still won’t admit it (laughs).”
Yuvraj attributes Virat’s success largely to his work ethic. “He was doing well in the 2011 World Cup. He was consistent. I remember the trip to South Africa in 2010, before the World Cup. In those conditions, Virat, as a young kid, looked comfortable against the pace and bounce. His technique looked very solid. I think he played two brilliant knocks (54 in Durban and 87 not out at Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth). He should have got a hundred at Gqeberha, but for the rain.
Yuvraj Singh was struck by Kohli’s hunger to improve, particularly during the period leading up to the 2011 World Cup.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
Yuvraj Singh was struck by Kohli’s hunger to improve, particularly during the period leading up to the 2011 World Cup.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
“After the World Cup, I returned to the team following my cancer treatment. I could see that he was much stronger, fitter and leaner. I think he had changed his diet. He was hungry to get better. I could see that his work ethic had completely changed,” Yuvraj noted.
Yuvraj picked out two partnerships with Virat, remembering them for the quality of their construction and the strength of the opposition. “One was against Australia in Visakhapatnam in 2010. He scored a century (118), and I got a fifty (58). We were chasing a stiff target (290). We backed each other well. The other memorable partnership was against West Indies in the World Cup in Chennai, when I scored a hundred (113) and Virat got 59 batting at No. 3. These are partnerships I remember well. Later, Virat scored a lot of runs, but unfortunately, I wasn’t in the team when he was at his peak.”
As a teammate, Virat left Yuvraj with fond memories. “We enjoyed batting together. Lots of fun. We had a lot of things in common. When he became captain, I saw a different side of Virat. When you have the responsibility and become captain, things change a lot. You have to lead from the front. That was also the time when I wasn’t much part of the side. But I saw him grow as a player and an individual. I would say I enjoyed hanging out with Chiku a lot when he first came into the team.”
Yuvraj Singh saw the transformation first-hand, from a talented youngster to one of the fittest and most driven cricketers in the game.
| Photo Credit:
PTI
Yuvraj Singh saw the transformation first-hand, from a talented youngster to one of the fittest and most driven cricketers in the game.
| Photo Credit:
PTI
Is Virat a master of the chase? “Definitely. He is a master of the chase,” Yuvraj said. “The number of times he has chased down targets is pretty incredible. His ODI record is unbelievable and unmatched. If you look at his record across Tests, ODIs and T20Is, he averaged more than 50 in all three formats for a very long time.
“Obviously, he has worked extremely hard and made many sacrifices, putting his body on the line for cricket. He is probably four times more hardworking than the average player. He has put his heart and soul into the game. He is probably the best player of this generation across all three formats.”
Published on Nov 05, 2026
