http://www.abarrelfull.co.uk/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Yuvraj_Struggles_On_As_The_Magic_Wanes Yuvraj Struggles On As The Magic Wanes - Revision history 2026-05-21T20:49:40Z Revision history for this page on the wiki MediaWiki 1.33.1 http://www.abarrelfull.co.uk/index.php?title=Yuvraj_Struggles_On_As_The_Magic_Wanes&diff=54445&oldid=prev RossS5022632543: Created page with "<br>By Amlan Chakraborty<br> <br>NEW DELHI, May 22 (Reuters) - Few things are more painful than watching an ageing athlete falter as they try to summon up the old magic and Yu..." 2020-07-08T08:40:08Z <p>Created page with &quot;&lt;br&gt;By Amlan Chakraborty&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;NEW DELHI, May 22 (Reuters) - Few things are more painful than watching an ageing athlete falter as they try to summon up the old magic and Yu...&quot;</p> <p><b>New page</b></p><div>&lt;br&gt;By Amlan Chakraborty&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;NEW DELHI, May 22 (Reuters) - Few things are more painful than watching an ageing athlete falter as they try to summon up the old magic and Yuvraj Singh's fans have endured a shared agony over the course of this year's Indian Premier League (IPL).&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;When India belatedly embraced Twenty20 cricket 12 years ago, Yuvraj's rise to greatness in the limited-overs format appeared just a matter of time.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;After all, few could hit the cricket ball as cleanly and as far as the southpaw did.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;And although Kevin Pietersen once ridiculed him as a &quot;pie-chucker&quot;, Yuvraj's brand of left-arm spin was more than handy.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;When not doing either, Yuvraj torched the turf in the point region with an infectious zeal, a rare quality in an Indian squad not then known for their agility.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;He was a key cog in India's World Twenty20 triumph in South Africa in 2007 and was adjudged player-of-the-tournament in the team's victorious 50-over World Cup triumph four years later.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;He was unable to replicate that form in the IPL, though, and his stints with Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils have been underwhelming.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Back at the team where he started his IPL career, Yuvraj has endured a particularly torrid tournament this year - alternating between warming the bench and being shuffled around the batting order at Punjab.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;He is a legend in Indian cricket,&quot; Punjab head coach Brad Hodge said on Saturday.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;But we all know sooner or later good things, good times always have to come to an end. But when that is (for Yuvraj), I am not the person to answer.&quot;&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Time seemed to have robbed Yuvraj of his touch and the 36-year-old has scratched around for 65 runs from six innings, while going wicketless with the ball.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;The spectacular flourish that became his trademark has been replaced by tentative jabs at the ball, [http://site-web1.ovh/index.php/QUANTUM_LEAP:_Yamuna_Has_To_Make_Its_Own_Manifesto http://site-web1.ovh/index.php/QUANTUM_LEAP:_Yamuna_Has_To_Make_Its_Own_Manifesto] or fatal pre-determined shots.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;For someone who wielded a willow that appeared to have sweet-spots wherever the ball made contact, Yuvraj struggled to find the middle of the bat against modest bowlers in less demanding circumstances.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;His laboured batting was reminiscent of his struggle in the final of the 2014 World Twenty20 against Sri Lanka which, many believe, cost India the title.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Yuvraj was not even picked for Sunday's final group match against Chennai Super Kings, which Punjab lost to finish seventh in the eight-team league.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;His repeated failures to roll back the years have evoked mixed emotions in cricket-mad India.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;On social media, his detractors mock his paunch, while his fans and conspiracy theorists claimed he never had the backing of Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Others still found it just too painful to watch the struggle of a batsman who smashed six sixes in a Stuart Broad over in the 2007 World Twenty20, and pleaded with him to hang up his bat.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;The all-rounder, who played the last of his 304 one-day internationals last year, thinks he might just have another year in him.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;I've been playing international cricket since 2000. It has been almost 17-18 years on and off. So, I will definitely take a call after 2019,&quot; he said last month.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty Editing by ...)&lt;br&gt;</div> RossS5022632543