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Cricket Players'Yuvi, your energy level has dropped...': Tendulkar's incredible story about hotel room chat with Yuvraj before 2011 WC
Sachin Tendulkar has shared a never-heard-before story about his chat with Yuvraj Singh right before the start of India's campaign in the 2011 World Cup.
Team India's former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh had played a pivotal role in the side's 2011 World Cup victory. Yuvraj smashed 362 runs in eight innings, and also picked 15 wickets throughout the tournament as India defeated Sri Lanka in the final to lift their second World Cup title. Months after the title win, however, Yuvraj revealed that he was suffering with cancer, and underwent rigorous treatment for the disease before eventually making a comeback to the national team in September 2012.
Former India star and batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has now shared a never-heard-before story about how he realised Yuvraj's energy levels were “dropping” ahead of the 2011 World Cup. Tendulkar revealed that he had invited the all-rounder to his hotel room a day before India's opening game of the campaign against Bangladesh, and spoke in detail about Yuvraj's performances in training and on the field.
“I found Yuvi's energy was really low. At that time, nobody knew that he had that illness. One only realised that after the 2011 World Cup. Before that, I felt his energy levels were low, so I called him to my room on the even of our first match. I said, ‘Yuvi, chalo ham dinner karte hain’,” Sachin began as he narrated the story during an event organized by Infosys.
“We started chatting and just before leaving my room, I told him, 'From tomorrow, I'm going to send goals for you and they start from your fielding. You were a really athletic fielder and I find your energy levels have dropped a bit. From tomorrow, our practice sessions will be different. I expect you to push little harder. If you want, we will work together and I will give my honest feedback. I can guarantee you that your graph will slowly but surely go upwards, and at the crunch moment, you will matter when it matters, Yuvi. Keep working hard, that process is important. Peaking at the right time is important',” said Tendulkar.
As it turned out, Tendulkar's pep-talk and his work with Yuvraj Singh worked tremendously for the all-rounder, as he played a key role in the side's World Cup triumph.
“That was exactly what Yuvi did. He peaked at the right time. He ended up becoming the man of the tournament, and brought smile to a billion of faces,” said Tendulkar.
