By Syed Khalid Mahmood
The gladdening news is that Yuvraj Singh, the champion Indian all-rounder who was declared Player of the Tournament in the World Cup 2011, has aimed a comeback in the ICC World Twenty20 2012 to be held in Sri Lanka in September.
Yuvraj, recovering from treatment for cancer, has begun training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore. He has clarified that he’s in no mood to rush his comeback but he remained hopeful for representing the country in the upcoming T20 event which would itself be boosted by his return.
"I will be in the NCA for a while now. I want to come back and play for India, that's my goal. It's not very easy on the body. I have gone through a lot and my body has gone through a lot of shock. People are expecting me to come back very quickly, but I don't want to rush. I will have to take my time and come back 100% fit,” the explosive left-handed batsman, whose left-arm spin also works in the limited overs games, was quoted as saying.
"I am feeling good. My body will become stronger stage by stage. Twenty20 world cup is my target. Hopefully I can be ready little before that," Yuvraj said.
Yuvraj was diagnosed with a type of cancer called ‘mediastinal seminoma’ a germ-cell tumour located between his two lungs, in February.
He underwent three sessions of chemotherapy in Indianapolis, at the IU Simon Cancer Centre at the Indiana University Medical Centre. He finished the last cycle of chemotherapy in mid-March, and his response had left his medical team fairly confident that he would not suffer a relapse.
The daring all-rounder has remained confident he will return to playing cricket for India but says he is neither in a hurry nor anxious to do so, and that cancer changed his approach to both life and the sport.
In his first media conference on returning to India after receiving treatment in the USA Yuvraj had stated his chemotherapy cycles often left him ‘depressed’ and in tears, but having cancer had taught him a lot.
"Cancer may be the best thing to have happened to me and maybe I will realise this in the future. There were more bad days than good. I haven't played cricket for one year, and it has been the toughest battle of my life,” he observed.
He had avoided watching cricket on TV during treatment in USA, stating that there was a little bit of frustration when he watched the team play. He found himself inspired by the practical approach of fellow chemotherapy patients.
He discovered that he now belonged to another larger group of people, a group he called ‘the cancer family.’ The disease, Yuvraj said, had made him appreciate friends, family, health and happiness over fame, popularity, success or money.
Yuvraj's treatment in the USA had involved working with Dr Lawrence Einhorn, the doctor who helped Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong recover from a form of cancer that had been considered terminal.
He underwent three sessions of chemotherapy in Indianapolis, at the IU Simon Cancer Centre at the Indiana University Medical Centre. He finished the last cycle of chemotherapy in mid-March, and his response had left his medical team fairly confident that he would not suffer a relapse.
The daring all-rounder has remained confident he will return to playing cricket for India but says he is neither in a hurry nor anxious to do so, and that cancer changed his approach to both life and the sport.
In his first media conference on returning to India after receiving treatment in the USA Yuvraj had stated his chemotherapy cycles often left him ‘depressed’ and in tears, but having cancer had taught him a lot.
He had avoided watching cricket on TV during treatment in USA, stating that there was a little bit of frustration when he watched the team play. He found himself inspired by the practical approach of fellow chemotherapy patients.
He discovered that he now belonged to another larger group of people, a group he called ‘the cancer family.’ The disease, Yuvraj said, had made him appreciate friends, family, health and happiness over fame, popularity, success or money.
Yuvraj's treatment in the USA had involved working with Dr Lawrence Einhorn, the doctor who helped Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong recover from a form of cancer that had been considered terminal.
