ESPNcricinfo

February 5, 2012

	Yuvraj Singh is expected to complete his rehabilitation by the end of April © AFP Enlarge
Related Links News : Yuvraj Singh out of Australia ODIs News : Yuvraj battling non-malignant tumour Players/Officials: Yuvraj Singh Teams: India

Yuvraj Singh has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy in the United States. A tumour on his lung was diagnosed as non-malignant late last year, but his physiotherapist has now confirmed that it is cancerous. Dr Jatin Chaudhary said it was “100% curable” and that Yuvraj would be “fit to be back on the field” in May.

“It is a rare tumour and is cancerous but it has been detected in stage one itself,” Chaudhary told PTI. “Doctors had to decide whether to continue medication or go for chemotherapy but since parts of the tumour are just above the artery of his heart, there was a danger that while running it could burst. But it is 100% curable.

“The doctors decided that he would have to undergo chemotherapy and he travelled to the US on January 26. End of March, he would undergo a CT scan and should recover by then.

Yuvraj hasn’t played competitive cricket since the Tests against West Indies last November, when news of his tumour became public. He had originally hoped to make a comeback in the tri-series in Australia, but last month it was announced that he would not be fit in time for the IPL, which begins in April. “Once he is done with chemo in March, his rehabilitation would be complete by April end and he would be perfectly fit to play in May.”

A Man-of-the-Series performance in India’s World Cup win in 2011 has been sandwiched by two forgettable years for Yuvraj. He battled with form and fitness in 2010, losing his place in the side. After the World Cup, several injuries curtailed his appearances for India, before the detection of the tumour forced his current absence from cricket.

Yuvraj Singh      

India

Full name Yuvraj Singh

Born December 12, 1981, Chandigarh

Current age 30 years 55 days

Major teams India, Asia XI, Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors, Punjab, Yorkshire

Playing role Middle-order batsman

Batting style Left-hand bat

Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox

Relation Father – B Yograj Singh

• January 2000
  Making an early impression
  • Yuvraj Singh’s talent is spotted fairly early and he makes a mark in India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph in Sri Lanka in 2000. He makes 203 runs at 33.83 and also impresses with his left-arm spin. Less than a year later, he is a part of the national team.

• October 2000
  Grabbing the limelight
  • Yuvraj hits the headlines in just his second ODI when the Indian team is emerging out of the match-fixing crisis under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly. Against Australia in the quarter-final of the ICC Knockout Tournament, Yuvraj blazes to 84 off 80 balls in a memorable win.

• August 2001
  Recovery after a slump
  • Yuvraj is unable to live up to expectations after that tournament and experiences a decline before fighting back with an unbeaten 98 against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

• March 2002
  Yuvraj finds consistency
  • Despite the odd success here and there, Yuvraj struggles for consistency and is dropped. He makes a return in the ODI series against Zimbabwe at home, and strikes successive fifties to seal his comeback.

• July 2002
  Delight at Lord’s
  • In one of India’s finest moments in ODI cricket, Yuvraj, who made 69, and Mohammad Kaif combine to hand their team a thrilling two-wicket win while chasing 325 in the Natwest Series final against England at Lord’s. It also seals Yuvraj’s place in the ODI team for good.

• February-March 2003
  A first senior World Cup
  • Yuvraj has a decent World Cup in 2003, helping India beat Pakistan in the league stage in one of the most watched games of the tournament. He then follows up with a half-century in a tough situation against Kenya in the Super Sixes.

• April 2003
  An overdue century
  • The first ton takes a long time coming but in his 71st ODI, against Bangladesh, Yuvraj hits an unbeaten 102 in India’s thumping win.

• May 2003
  County cricket beckons
  • Yuvraj becomes the second India – after Sachin Tendulkar – to sign with Yorkshire, and represents them in the 2003 English domestic season with mixed success.

• October 2003
  A Test debut finally
  • After more than three years in international cricket, Yuvraj plays his first Test, a high-scoring draw between India and New Zealand in his home ground in Mohali. He makes 20 and an unbeaten 5.

• January 2004
  Yuvraj blasts the Aussies
  • In another landmark performance, Yuvraj sizzles at the SCG with a blistering 139, smashing 16 sixes and two sixes against the hosts. It is, however, in a losing cause.

• March-April 2004
  Success in Pakistan
  • Yuvraj promises aplenty with his performance in India’s victorious Test series in Pakistan, with a half-century in Multan, a stand-out maiden century in tough conditions in Lahore and a useful 47 in the final game in Rawalpindi. It also marks the beginning of a string of fine performances against Pakistan.

• January-February 2006
  Another ton in vain
  • Yuvraj excels in a hopeless cause for India, making 122 against Pakistan in Karachi when asked to chase 607. There is a turn of fortunes for the team in the ODI series that follows, and Yuvraj shines again with scores of 39, 82*, 79*, 37 and 107*.

• May 20 2006
  So near, yet so far
  • An agonising defeat for India as they are beaten by one run in Kingston by West Indies. Yuvraj stars with 93 and with two needed off three balls he is deceived by a slower delivery by Dwayne Bravo to be bowled and hand the hosts a thrilling win. That defeat ends a run of successes while chasing targets in ODIs, and India go on to lose the series 4-1.

• March 2007
  World Cup disappointment
  • India are beaten by Bangladesh in their opening game where Yuvraj makes 47, and are knocked out by Sri Lanka against whom he is run out for 6.

• September 2007
  Six balls, six sixes
  • In the inaugural World Twenty20, Yuvraj enters the record books, smashing Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over. He followed up with a match-winning 70 against Australia in the semi-finals that put India on the road to a historic title win.

• November-December 2007
  Yuvraj torments Pakistan again
  • Yuvraj strikes four fifties in five games during the ODI series and scores 169 to rescue India from a difficult position in Bangalore.

• November-December 2008
  A memorable duel against England
  • There is more success in Tests for Yuvraj, who supports Sachin Tendulkar in a match-winning stand to chase down 387 to win India the Test in Chennai. There is much to cheer for in the ODIs as well, where he strikes consecutive tons in Rajkot and Indore.

• March 30 2009
  Keeping the lead intact
  • Yuvraj scores a quick, unbeaten 54 in the second innings of the Napier Test against New Zealand to help India save the game after following on. India preserve their lead and go on to win the series 1-0.

• June 2010
  Decline and return
  • Yuvraj is dropped from the Asia Cup following the team’s return from the World Twenty20 in West Indies. Lack of form, disciplinary reasons and fitness are talked of as the reasons for his exclusion, but he makes a return for the series against Sri Lanka.

• September 20, 2010
  Dropped from the Test squad
  • With Suresh Raina scoring a century on Test debut and Cheteshwar Pujara making a compelling case for higher honours with his consistent first-class performances, Yuvraj is dropped from the Test squad for the two-match series against Australia.

• Feb 19 – Apr 2, 2011
  The redemption
  • A dream World Cup for Yuvraj, as he scores 362 runs – including one centuries and four fifties – takes 15 wickets, wins four Man-of-the-Match awards, and is also Player of the Tournament. In the process, he becomes the first allrounder to score 300-plus runs and take 15 wickets in a single World Cup.