Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh says he went through a confusing stretch near the end of his playing career, claiming he never received straightforward guidance from the decision-makers about what his future would look like. In his view, even though he had contributed for years, the final phase of his international stint left him uncertain about where he stood within the setup.
Yuvraj explained that the lack of clarity was not limited to one person or one office. He said there was no consistent communication from the National Cricket Academy, and that he also did not receive a clear message from the captain, coach, or the selectors. “When I looked at my own situation, I had zero clarity,” he said. “There was no clarity from the NCA, no clarity from the captain or the coach. I was stuck at 36, turning 37, wondering what to do next. At the very least, if someone has played so much cricket, they deserve respect,” he added.
The left-hander further suggested that his experience was part of a wider pattern. He pointed to other former India stars, saying they too had to deal with similar uncertainty at the tail end of their careers. “I feel those who are at the end of their careers need clarity. I didn’t get it, and neither did Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag or Harbhajan Singh,” he said. He also argued that the captain, head coach, or selector—whoever has the responsibility—should meet the player directly and explain the thinking clearly. “Whoever it is—captain, coach or selector—should sit with the player and explain how they see things,” he added.
Despite the uncertainty around him, Yuvraj said MS Dhoni was the one who offered him a clear and candid viewpoint during that period. “I spoke to MS Dhoni,” Yuvraj said. “We spoke over the phone. He gave me the right perspective. He had nothing to gain, but he could see what was going on,” he shared.
Yuvraj insisted that, even after receiving some guidance about his fitness situation, he ultimately wanted to control the decision about when to stop. He revealed that he was told he should consider retirement if he failed a fitness test, but he made it clear he would choose his own path. “I was told that if I couldn’t pass the fitness test, I should consider retirement. I said I would decide my retirement myself,” he said.
