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Cricket Players'Told him, 'If you want I'll open.' Whole night I didn’t sleep': Yuvraj recalls Ganguly's prank ahead of his debut game
It was back in 2000, ahead of his debut innings in the ICC Knockout tournament when Ganguly asked Yuvraj if he was willing to open for India.
There is a feeling of nervous excitement ahead of one's debut game for the nation. The excitement at finally having to live the dream and the nervousness from the pressure of giving the best on debut. But what would happen if you are tricked by the very captain of the team ahead of the debut game. Well, for Yuvraj Singh he had spent a sleepless night after then India captain Sourav Ganguly had tricked him.
It was back in 2000, ahead of his debut innings in the ICC Knockout tournament when Ganguly asked Yuvraj if he was willing to open for India. A nervy Yuvraj was left stupefied at the thought before replying that he is open to the thought. Speaking with former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar on Home of Heroes on Sports18, Yuvraj admitted that he had a sleepless night before the debut following the conversation with Ganguly.
“Yeah, if you want me to open, I’ll open,” he said. “Whole night I didn’t sleep.”
Yuvraj revealed that the morning after Ganguly admitted to having tricked him and that he was sent at No.5 to bat for India against Australia. India amassed 265 powered by a stroke-filled 84 from the debutant, en route to which he was dropped on 37.
“I was batting at No. 5, very nervous. But when I went into bat, focus turned to watching the ball,” Yuvraj recalled facing the likes of Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and the trademark Aussie sledging. “If I today would’ve scored 37 on my debut against Australia, I would’ve been very happy because of the attack that I was facing,” Yuvraj added.
In response, the pace trio of Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Venkatesh Prasad picked two a piece to bundle out Australia for 245 in Nairobi in the quarterfinal to reach the semis. India had eventually lost to New Zealand in the final after beating South Africa by 95 runs in the semi-final.
