'I won't forgive MS Dhoni': Yuvraj Singh's father Yograj criticizes former India captain

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh, father of Yuvraj Singh, has once again criticized MS Dhoni, accusing him of negatively impacting his son's cricket career. Yograj's comments highlight a longstanding grievance which he believes curtailed Yuvraj’s career, despite his monumental contributions to Indian cricket, particularly in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup victories under Dhoni’s captaincy.
Yuvraj Singh's cricket career spanned 17 years, marked by significant achievements including key roles in India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup triumphs. However, following 2014, his appearances for the national team diminished, with his last international match being in 2017 against the West Indies. Yograj Singh attributes this decline to Dhoni’s influence on the team’s selection decisions.

In a recent interview on the Zee Switch YouTube channel, Yograj Singh expressed his strong feelings towards Dhoni, stating: "I won't forgive MS Dhoni. He should look at his face in the mirror. He is a very big cricketer, but what he has done against my son, everything is coming out now; it can never be forgiven in life. I have never done two things in life - first, I have never forgiven anybody who has done wrong for me, and second, I have never hugged them in my life, be it my family members or my kids. That man (MS Dhoni) has destroyed the life of my son, who could have played four to five years more."
Yuvraj Singh is widely regarded as one of the most illustrious cricketers in Indian history, having amassed close to 12,000 runs and scored 17 centuries in 402 matches across formats. His all-round performance in the 2011 World Cup was particularly celebrated. Yuvraj scored 362 runs at an average of 90.50 and took 15 wickets, which earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
Yograj Singh praised his son's resilience, notably during his battle with cancer, which Yuvraj fought while playing in the 2011 World Cup. He also called for Yuvraj to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, for his contributions to the national team.
"I dare everyone to give birth to a son like Yuvraj. Even Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag have said in the past that there won't be another Yuvraj Singh. India should award him the Bharat Ratna for playing with cancer and winning the World Cup for the country," Yograj added.
Yograj Singh's comments have reignited discussions regarding Yuvraj Singh's career trajectory and the dynamics within the Indian cricket team during the latter stages of his career.