In a candid revelation, Yuvraj Singh admitted he had little clarity about his future with India in the final years of his career, before MS Dhoni stepped in to offer an honest perspective.

Speaking to Vikrant Gupta on a podcast with SportsTak, Yuvraj said players nearing the end of their careers, especially those who have contributed significantly to Indian cricket, deserve clarity about their standing in the team.

The conversation also shifted to the futures of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. Yuvraj stressed that team management and selectors must take the initiative to communicate clearly with senior players, regardless of how difficult those conversations may be.

“I feel that those who are at the end of their careers need clarity. I didn’t get it, neither did Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag or Harbhajan Singh. The captain, coach or selector, whoever it may be, should sit with the player and explain how they see things. The conversation may not go well, but at least the effort is made,” Yuvraj said.

NO CLARITY ON MY FUTURE

Yuvraj Singh played three 50-over ICC World Cups in 2003, 2007 and 2011, and was the Player of the Tournament in India’s victorious campaign at home nine years ago. He played while suffering from cancer during the showpiece event and helped India lift the trophy after 28 years on April 2.

After the World Cup, Yuvraj was diagnosed with a rare germ cell cancer in his lungs, for which he underwent chemotherapy treatment in Boston. Most of the cricketing fraternity believed it was the end of his career, but he made a successful comeback to the national team just a few months later.

However, the latter stages of his career were marked by inconsistency and a lack of opportunities. He eventually fell out of favour with the selectors and team management, which limited his chances in the side.

He missed the 2015 and 2019 fifty-over World Cups during this challenging phase, despite not doing too badly in the blue jersey. Yuvraj even managed to post his highest individual score of 150 against England in Cuttack in ODIs, shortly before being sidelined by the selectors again.

Two years later, after continuing to remain on the fringes, Yuvraj eventually announced his retirement from international cricket.

Yuvraj said the lack of communication during that phase left him uncertain about his next steps.

“For example, when I went through my own situation, I had zero clarity. There was no clarity from the National Cricket Academy, no clarity from the captain or coach. I was stuck at 36, going on 37, wondering what to do next. At the very least, if someone has played so much cricket, they deserve respect,” Yuvraj said.

During this period of uncertainty, he revealed that a conversation with MS Dhoni helped him gain perspective.

“I spoke to MS Dhoni. We spoke over the phone. He gave me the right perspective. He had nothing to gain, but he could see what was going on,” Yuvraj said.

Despite the uncertainty, Yuvraj maintained that he was willing to fight for his place and meet the standards set by the team management.

“I was told that if I couldn’t pass the fitness test, I should consider retirement. I said I would decide my retirement myself. I passed the fitness test, and then it was up to them whether they wanted to pick me or not. If not, I would move on. At that point, I wasn’t enjoying my game either,” he added.

Yuvraj’s experience underlines his belief that players in the final stages of their careers deserve clarity, even if the conversations are difficult.

With attention now on the futures of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, Yuvraj stressed that clear communication from team management and selectors remains essential to avoid similar situations for the next generation of players.

- Ends