New Delhi: Former India batter Wasim Jaffer threw his weight behind Yuvraj Singh after the veteran all-rounder said he was left without clear communication when he was weighing up the final phase of his international career. Yuvraj’s comments touched on how he felt the captain, head coach and selectors failed to spell out what his future looked like, forcing him to seek guidance elsewhere.
Quick facts
- Wasim Jaffer backed Yuvraj Singh after Yuvraj revealed he did not receive clear communication from then captain Virat Kohli, coach Ravi Shastri and selectors.
- Yuvraj said he had to speak to MS Dhoni for clarity about what came next.
- Jaffer criticised the Indian team management, the BCCI and the selectors over the communication gap.
- Yuvraj played 40 Tests, 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is for India.
- Yuvraj last played for India in June 2017 against West Indies and announced retirement from all formats in 2019.
Jaffer, who knows Yuvraj well from dressing-room days, defended the former all-rounder and took aim at the way the matter was handled. He also argued that communication should not be missing for a player who had contributed so much to India, particularly in major tournament triumphs.
On X, Jaffer said that players used to learn about career endings through newspapers in earlier times, and while things had improved, the situation Yuvraj described still sounded wrong. He pointed out that a big-match winner like Yuvraj should have been properly informed when decisions were being shaped around his role.
What Yuvraj said about his uncertainty
Yuvraj explained that the end of his career came with confusion rather than clarity. He said that when his own situation was unfolding, he had “zero clarity,” adding that there was no clear message from the National Cricket Academy and no clarity from the captain or the coach.
The all-rounder recalled being in limbo around the ages of 36 and 37, unsure about what to do next. In his view, players who have spent a long time playing at the top level deserve respect, and that should include being told where they stand.
Yuvraj also suggested that clarity is especially important for those nearing the end of their careers. He said he did not receive it, and that the same lack of understanding also applied to Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh. He argued that whoever is responsible—captain, coach or selector—should sit down with the player and explain their thinking plainly.
During that uncertain stretch, Yuvraj said Dhoni was the one who helped him see things clearly. He shared that he spoke with MS Dhoni over the phone, with Dhoni offering the perspective that helped him understand what was going on around his situation.
Even after that conversation, Yuvraj stressed that he still made his own final call. He revealed that he had been told that if he could not pass the fitness test, he should consider retirement, but he responded that he would decide his retirement himself.
Yuvraj’s last appearance for India came in June 2017 against the West Indies. He later announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket in 2019.
