Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh, born on December 12, 1981, is a celebrated former Indian international cricketer known for his prowess in all formats of the game. An all-rounder, he batted left-handed in the middle order and bowled slow left-arm orthodox. Over his illustrious career, he earned seven Player of the Series awards in One Day Internationals, a remarkable achievement that places him joint third among Indian cricketers, alongside the legendary Sourav Ganguly.

Singh made his mark on the Indian cricket team in ODIs from 2000 to 2017, with his Test debut occurring in October 2003. He served as the vice-captain of the ODI team between 2007 and 2008. One of his most iconic moments came during the 2007 World Twenty20, where he hit six sixes in a single over against England's Stuart Broad, a feat that had only been accomplished a few times in senior cricket history. Additionally, he set the record for the fastest fifty in Twenty20 Internationals, reaching the milestone in just twelve balls.

During the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj made history by becoming the first player to achieve both a five-wicket haul and score a fifty in the same World Cup match. His performance in the tournament was stellar, with eight innings yielding three hundred sixty-two runs at an impressive average of ninety point five, alongside fifteen wickets at an economy rate of five point zero two.

In 2011, Singh faced a personal battle when he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his left lung, leading to chemotherapy treatment in Boston and Indianapolis. After completing his treatment, he made a triumphant return to international cricket in September 2012 against New Zealand. His contributions to the sport were recognized with the Arjuna Award in 2012 and the Padma Shri in 2014, among other accolades.

On June 10, 2019, Yuvraj Singh announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, having last represented India in June 2017 against the West Indies. His remarkable journey in the Indian Premier League saw him being sold for record amounts, including fourteen crore rupees in 2014 and sixteen crore rupees in 2015, making him one of the most expensive players in IPL history.