Yuvi interviews MS: ‘Now you’re not captain, will you hit more sixes?’

Tribune news service

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Chandigarh, January 11

It’s a heart-warming video, Yuvraj Singh, his right arm draped around Mahendra Singh Dhoni, declaring: “You have been one of the best captains ever. It’s been amazing playing under you, winning three big championships, the World Cup, and being the No. 1 Test team in the world under you.”

Yuvraj and Dhoni had a brief partnership yesterday, playing for India A against an England XI in a practice match in Mumbai. The two added 23 runs off 25 balls, Dhoni contributing 18 and Yuvraj 5 runs. It wasn’t a big partnership, but it reminded fans of the time when the two were in their heyday, batting “fearlessly” and scoring lots of runs together in ODI cricket.

After the match, Yuvraj did a unique interview with his former captain. The two had an arm around the other in the video, dispelling all the notions that they don’t get on well with each other. It may be recalled that when Dhoni was made captain of the T20 and ODI team in 2007, there were rumours that Yuvraj was unhappy because he thought that he should have been named captain.

In early 2015, when Yuvraj wasn’t selected in the team for the World Cup, his father Yograj Singh had declared that Dhoni was the reason Yuvraj wasn’t in the team. Later, Yograj said: “There was a time when he (Dhoni) had nothing but today he sits in front of media and rips off the media persons. He laughs at media who has given him so much hype. He laughs at the Indian people who clap when he scores a run. Honestly, if I were a media person, I would have slapped Dhoni right there.”

No issues

Yuvraj immediately distanced himself from this statement, saying on Twitter: “I’ve got nothing to do with statements coming out in the media! As I’ve said before, enjoyed playing under Dhoni, no issues at all.”

After Yuvraj’s return to the team for the England series, Yograj said: “Yuvraj is in the team because Dhoni is no longer the captain. I had said this a couple of years ago that he would be back in the team once Dhoni wasn’t the captain. It’s proved true now.”

Friends

In a video interview that Yuvraj posted online, he and Dhoni are having very happy and friendly chat, and Yuvraj asked his former captain a few cricketing questions, and about his journey as captain.

“The journey has been good, fantastic,” Dhoni said. “It’s good to have players like you, the job becomes much more easier. Enjoyed my 10 years, hopefully I will enjoy more whatever I have.”

“Thanks to you, I witnessed the six sixers, at the best seat,” Dhoni, who was at the non-striker’s end when Yuvraj hit Stuart Broad for six sixers at the 2007 T20 World Cup, added with a grin. To this, Yuvraj said: “Thanks for giving me the opportunity to go and slog, as always. What else I wanted to ask you?”

“Don’t ask me anything!” joked Dhoni at this, but Yuvraj remembered his question. “Now since you’re not the captain, are you going to hit more sixers now?”

“Let’s see... If they bowl in my areas, the right areas and the situation permits I would look to hit sixes,” Dhoni said.