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Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni are synonymous with India’s last two World Cup titles wins. The latter was the skipper both in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup at home while the former was India’s best player in inaugural World T20 competition and was adjudged as the Player of the Tournament in 2011. Albeit both have retired from international cricket, the two remain India’s finest ever middle-order batters when it came to white-ball cricket. However, in the wake of a certain revelations made in the last couple of years, there have been questions over Yuvraj’s personal relationship with Dhoni. On Saturday, in a recent interview, the former India all-rounder made a striking revelation saying that Dhoni and him aren’t close friends.
In a conversation on TRS Clips on YouTube, Yuvraj revealed that the two are friends only because of cricket, bit weren’t off the field because of the lifestyle they share. He admitted that when Dhoni was the skipper and he was his deputy, he did not agree with a lot of his decisions, but appreciated when the legendary wicketkeeper had handed him a reality on his future right before the 2019 World Cup saying that the selectors weren’t looking at him for the squad.
“Me and Mahi are not close friends. We were friends because of cricket, we played together. Mahi’s lifestyle was very different from me, so we were never close friends, we were only friends because of cricket. When me and Mahi went on the ground, we gave more than 100% to our country. In that, he was captain, I was vice-captain. When I came into the team, I was 4 years junior. When you are captain and vice-captain, there will be decision differences.
“Sometimes he made decisions I didn’t like, sometimes I made decisions he didn’t like. That happens in every team. When I was at the end of my career, when I wasn’t getting the right picture about my career, I asked him for advice. He was the guy who told me that the selection committee is not looking you right now. I was like, at least I got to know the real picture. This is just before 2019 World Cup. That is the reality,” he said.
Yuvraj further explained players in the same team do not have to be best of friends, but what matters is giving their best on the field and for the team as he recalled the time when he had once helped Dhoni complete his century while the latter had later returned the favour in him completing a crucial fifty.
“Your teammates don’t have to be your best friends outside the field. Everybody has a different lifestyle, skill set. Certain people hang out with certain people, you don’t have to be best friends with everyone to go on the field. If you take any team, all eleven don’t get along. Some do, some don’t. When you are in the park, put your ego behind you and contribute on the field.
“There were times when MS was injured, I was a runner for him. I remember there was one moment when he was in 90s, I wanted to give him the strike to help him reach his 100. I remember diving for him, for his second run, as he was in 90s.
“When I was batting in a World Cup match, I was 48 against the Netherlands. There were 2 runs to get and Mahi blocked both the balls so that I get 50,” he added.
Yuvraj also recalled the 2011 World Cup when he was supposed to bat after Virat Kohli’s dismissal, but it was Dhoni who walked out next. Although not dwelling much into it or how it made him feel, the 41-year-old concluded by saying that the two still meet as friends and share a good rapport as well.
“In the World Cup final (2011), it was decided if Gauti (Gautam Gambhir) gets out, I’ll go, if Virat gets out, Dhoni goes. That thing is more important than friendship. We were hardcore professionals. I wish him well, I know he wishes me well.
“He is retired, I am retired. When we meet, we meet like friends only not like ‘I don’t want to get to know you’. We shot an ad together too, and had fun talking about our past days,” the former India batter said.
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