Yuvraj clarifies: Always enjoyed playing under Dhoni
Yuvraj Singh's mercurial father Yograj on Monday claimed that Mahendra Singh Dhoni did not want his son in India's World Cup squad but the left-handed batsman himself dismissed the allegations minutes later. However, the 33-year-old Yuvraj soon cleared the air.
Yuvraj Singh's mercurial father Yograj on Monday claimed that Mahendra Singh Dhoni did not want his son in India's World Cup squad but the left-handed batsman himself dismissed the allegations minutes later.
However, the 33-year-old Yuvraj soon cleared the air.
"Like every parent my dad is also passionate and I am sure got carried away... always enjoyed playing under Mahi (Dhoni) n would do so in future," Yuvraj tweeted to his 2.86 million followers.
Yograj's comments came on a day when his son was bought for a record Rs 16 crore at the IPL auction in Bangalore. The stylish batsman was also the costliest player in the last auction, going for Rs 14 crore.
The selectors had decided to pick young spin-allrounder Axar Patel, while overlooking Yuvraj when they picked the squad for the World Cup.
Yograj said: "Yuvraj gave his sweat and blood for his country for 15 years and won 90 per cent matches for India. He played along side Dhoni as well and won many tournaments. In the last World Cup, which India lifted after a long gap, Yuvraj played for India despite having cancer and helped his team win the Cup.
"When he was battling cancer, then he had told me that even if he was to die, his spirit for playing for his country will not die down and he will go to any extent to ensure that India wins the trophy. Now, this is the kind of treatment being meted out to him," he said.
Keeping up his attack on Dhoni, Yograj, who had earlier jumped into politics and is currently a known face in the Punjabi film industry, said: "I want to tell Dhoni that true education and values teach that if a compatriot falls he should be helped and if he is not able to walk, he should be lifted on one's shoulders and given support.
"I want to tell Dhoni's parents also that tomorrow Yuvraj and Dhoni may not be playing, but what he (Dhoni) has done to him (Yuvraj), will always be remembered. I am deeply saddened, because neither I nor Yuvraj are Dhoni's enemies, but I want to tell him what he has done god will make him repay for this," he said.
Yograj further said: "Dhoni as leader should back senior players who go through a temporary tough phase. I don't know why he did not want Yuvraj in the team. My son has always praised Dhoni."