Few events in the history of cricket are as memorable as India’s victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. One person stood out in the jubilation of that glorious victory: the unflappable Yuvraj Singh. He won the prestigious Player of the Tournament award thanks to his outstanding overall efforts. However, as any cricketer is aware, the road to success is paved with obstacles and unforeseen setbacks.
When India played South Africa in the group stage, there was one such defeat. India found themselves on the losing end of the outcome in what should have been a clear-cut victory, sparking a media frenzy. The team’s concentration might have been broken at that time. Beyond his extraordinary batting prowess, the Little Master Sachin Tendulkar took on a leadership position in the middle of this media frenzy. Yuvraj recalled the wise counsel Tendulkar gave the team,
“We were trying to concentrate on the game, and we had lost to South Africa in the World Cup, a game we ought to have won. The media went bananas at this point. We need to quit watching television and reading the newspapers, Sachin Tendulkar said the group as they sat down. Utilize our headphones as we navigate airport crowds. Just pay attention to the World Cup. The team concurred, so we simply followed that advice, and it was a success, the 41-year-old said to The Week.
The possessive Indian fan base, according to Yuvraj Singh, “people think only Indian team will win.”
This information provides a window into the intense pressure cooker that is international cricket, where even the most renowned players must protect themselves from the constant media scrutiny. It also emphasizes how crucial teamwork and unwavering dedication are to achieving cricketing success. The southpaw continued by elaborating on a crucial element of Indian cricket: the unwavering aspirations of its ardent supporters. While India has a strong team, he underlined that the World Cup is a vast platform where many other strong rivals compete for supremacy. His words are
The issue with India is that many people believe that only the Indian team will triumph. There are a lot of talented teams competing in this World Cup, so we must remain totally focused on our current duties, he said.