Yograj Singh blames ‘wives’ for retirement of cricketers in highly sexist remark: 'They tell you let's look after kids’

Yograj Singh, the father of Yuvraj Singh, said wives are the main reason behind cricketers' retirement. The sexist remark has now taken the internet by storm.

Yograj Singh, the father of Yuvraj Singh, is known for having no filter and for saying whatever comes to his mind. This quality of his has often landed him in trouble, and in yet another instance, the former Indian cricketer finds himself in the middle of a huge storm owing to his recent remark about cricketers and the potential reasons behind their retirements from the game. Yograj, who runs a cricket academy, is known to be a hard taskmaster, a fact Yuvraj himself has spoken about in the past.

Yograj Singh said wives are the main reason behind cricketers' retirement. (X)

Recently, Yograj, 68, made a sexist remark, saying wives and kids are the main reason behind cricketers' calling time on their professional careers. He also stated that age has no bearing on one's quality as a player, and one can go on for as long as he wants if the desire and hunger remain.

Further stressing his point, Yograj doubled down on his highly problematic statement, saying women should not come between the player and his career.

“I have seen people in India going, 'we are getting old after turning 40'. Women go out of shape when they turn 30, saying our kids have grown up. What can we do? I started this regimen in my gym, where I am a director, and I consciously decided to bring the senior citizens into shape. How can one relate playing the game to the age?” Yograj told InsideSport.

You know what happens: your ladies of the house, your wives, they start coaching you, telling you it’s time to retire, time to look after the family, the kids. So I believe women should not come in between the legendary prospect of an athlete, fakir aur player yeh dono ka koi dharam nahi hai, warg nahi hai (Noble men and players don't have any religion), they belong to God. As long as they live, they can do a lot of things," he added.

‘Age factor is funny’

Yograj also put to rest chatter about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's future, saying age is no factor in their careers. He further stated that if they keep scoring, no one in the world can keep them out of the Indian playing XI in ODIs.

“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are young cricketers, and they want to quit. Laanat hai zindagi bhar. Make the world realise that you are the best, that you are indispensable. Even if you are fifty years old and still scoring a double hundred, no one will drop you,” said Yograj.

“The age factor in this country is really funny,” he added.

He further said that the great MS Dhoni can continue playing for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the next ten years as his fitness remains supreme.

"He (Dhoni) is still playing and should keep on doing so for the next 10 years. Because he has proved his fitness with the right discipline and dedication. I still see his forearm, amazing man. Who the hell are people to tell him to retire? No. As far as cricket is concerned, hats off to him,” Yograj concluded.