Good luck in your next avatar: Ravi Shastri wishes Yuvraj
India's hero at the 2011 World Cup, the Chandigarh-born announced his retirement on Monday after spending 25 years in and around 22 yards.
New Delhi: India head coach Ravi Shastri on Tuesday wished luck to Yuvraj Singh in his "next avtaar" after the swashbuckling left-handed batsman retired from international cricket and Indian Premier League (IPL).
Shastri, who is in the UK with team India for its ongoing 2019 World Cup campaign, shared a picture captioned: "Junior, congratulations on a terrific career and thanks for the entertainment right thru. Good luck in your next avataar - @YUVSTRONG12 #ThankYouYuvraj."
Junior, congratulations on a terrific career and thanks for the entertainment right thru. Good luck in your next avataar - @YUVSTRONG12 #ThankYouYuvraj 🙏 pic.twitter.com/7ZkZxDibfl
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) June 11, 2019
Earlier, his teammates took Twitter to congratulate the 37-year-old for his contribution to India.
"What a fantastic career you have had Yuvi. You have come out as a true champ every time the team needed you. The fight you put up through all the ups & downs on & off the field is just amazing. Best of luck for your 2nd innings & thanks for all that you have done for Indian Cricket," Sachin Tendulkar tweeted.
What a fantastic career you have had Yuvi.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 10, 2019
You have come out as a true champ everytime the team needed you. The fight you put up through all the ups & downs on & off the field is just amazing. Best of luck for your 2nd innings & thanks for all that you have done for 🇮🇳 Cricket.🙌 pic.twitter.com/J9YlPs87fv
Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, said: "Congratulations on a wonderful career playing for the country paji. You gave us so many memories and victories and I wish you the best for life and everything ahead. Absolute champion. @YUVSTRONG12."
Congratulations on a wonderful career playing for the country paji. You gave us so many memories and victories and I wish you the best for life and everything ahead. Absolute champion. @YUVSTRONG12 pic.twitter.com/LXSWNSQXog
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 10, 2019
"Players will come and go, but players like @YUVSTRONG12 are very rare to find. Gone through many difficult times but thrashed disease thrashed bowlers & won hearts. Inspired so many people with his fight & will-power. Wish you the best in life, Yuvi #YuvrajSingh. Best wishes always," Virender Sehwag wrote.
Players will come and go,but players like @YUVSTRONG12 are very rare to find. Gone through many difficult times but thrashed disease,thrashed bowlers & won hearts. Inspired so many people with his fight & will-power. Wish you the best in life,Yuvi #YuvrajSingh. Best wishes always pic.twitter.com/sUNAoTyNa8
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 10, 2019
India's hero at the 2011 World Cup, the Chandigarh-born announced his retirement on Monday after spending 25 years in and around the 22 yards with almost 17 years of international experience. Yuvraj had captured the imagination of world cricket with his gravity-defying fielding abilities and effortless power-hitting.
A career that spanned over 304 ODIs, 58 T20Is and 40 Tests, Yuvraj imprinted his place in the echelons of cricket as a player who could pretty much win matches for his side either through his electric fielding, deceiving bowling or fierce batting.
Big events brought out the best in him be it his international cricket entry at 2000 ICC Champions Trophy, mind-numbing batting exhibition at inaugural 2007 World T20 or all-round performance at 2011 World Cup.
Clobbering six sixes in the penultimate over bowled by Englishman Stuart Broad in Kingsmead was a moment not many cricket fans will forget. That performance against England took Yuvraj on top of the pile of fastest fifties in a T20I match, scoring 50 off just 12 balls, a record that still stands the test of time.
"Thank you this has been a lovely journey. See you on the other side," Yuvraj said, adding that he would continue devoting his time to assisting cancer patients through his 'YouWeCan' foundation.
Yuvraj now wants to play in overseas leagues, saying at this age he can manage to play some fun cricket and enjoy his life as he has been stressful just thinking about international games and performing in big tournaments like IPL.
"With BCCI's permission, I would love to go, play and have fun for this year or maybe next year. I don't know what's left in me. It has been a very long and hard journey and I think I deserve that. I have had a word with BCCI and will have another after this announcement. Hopefully, it will be easy sailing for me," he said.
