Yuvraj Singh, one of India’s finest all-rounders in limited-overs cricket, remains a towering figure in the country's cricket history, even though his Test career never truly reached the same heights. Despite playing 40 Tests, Yuvraj never managed to leave a lasting mark in the red-ball format, finishing with an average of 33.92. Yet, his contributions in a few key series, including his century in Lahore during the 2004 Pakistan tour, made him a valuable asset for Team India.
One of the more notable yet controversial series Yuvraj was involved in was the 2007/08 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. It was a four-match series marred by umpiring controversies and the infamous 'Monkeygate' scandal in the Sydney Test. Tensions were high throughout, both on and off the field, with quality cricket interspersed with heated moments.
India fought hard during the series, and while it is often remembered for its controversies, it also holds a place in cricketing folklore for the level of competition between two great cricketing nations. For Yuvraj, this series became significant not just for the on-field drama but for a personal story that had remained largely untold.
Yuvraj's story
During an appearance on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, Yuvraj shared an anecdote from the Australian tour; he was dating an actress at the time, who also happened to be in Australia for her own professional commitments. According to Yuvraj, the demands of the series led to a rather stressful period for him.
“I was dating an actress, I won't name her; (She is) very good at the moment and very experienced. She was shooting in Adelaide. I told her, listen, let's not meet for a bit because I'm on Australia tour, and need to focus. She followed me to Canberra in the bus. In two Tests, I didn't get many runs. And I was like, 'what are you doing here?' And she was like, ‘I want to spend time with you’,” Yuvraj began.
{{/usCountry}}“I was dating an actress, I won't name her; (She is) very good at the moment and very experienced. She was shooting in Adelaide. I told her, listen, let's not meet for a bit because I'm on Australia tour, and need to focus. She followed me to Canberra in the bus. In two Tests, I didn't get many runs. And I was like, 'what are you doing here?' And she was like, ‘I want to spend time with you’,” Yuvraj began.
{{/usCountry}}“So, I met her in the night and we began chatting. I told her you need to focus on your career and I need to focus on mine, because I'm on Australia tour and you know what that means. Anyway, we were leaving for Adelaide from Canberra and she packed my suitcase.”
Yuvraj then revealed how her meeting with the actress had a rather hilarious culmination.
“In the morning, I was like ‘where are my shoes’? She said, ‘I packed them’. I asked, ‘How would I go on the bus’? And she said, 'Wear mine'. She had these pink slip-ons. And I was like, 'Oh my god'. I had to wear those pink slip-ons, and I was carrying my bag in front of my shoes to hide them. The guys saw it, and they clapped for me. I had to wear pink slip-ons to the airport until I bought flip-flops there,” said Yuvraj, as laughter echoed.
While Yuvraj refused to share the actress' name, rumours were widely circulated that the southpaw was dating Deepika Padukone at the time, who had made her debut in the Hindi film industry in 2007.