Madhurima
MUMBAI: Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh on Monday said the pressure of being a big-money buy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is felt once you don't perform and other people mention all that moolah going to waste, all the time.
Yuvraj still holds the record of being IPL's most-expensive buy. The 2011 World Cup hero went for a whopping Rs 16 crore to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) during the 2015 auctions. Yuvraj didn't have a good IPL that year, managing 248 runs in 14 matches at 19.07.
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"The pressure is felt due to the massive amount of money. I won't say it changes a player. Now once you climb the success ladder, people attempt to drag you down," Yuvraj said during an Instagram live with former teammate Mohammad Kaif.
"See the purpose is...pressure is there because once you get out and do not perform they say he's getting a lot of money and not performing. Negative news sells more and those things affect you. My advice every youngster would be to remain faraway from TV and newspapers," said the 38-year old, considered one of the all-time best white-ball batters.
Australian quick Pat Cummins became the second-most-expensive buy in the favoured T20 league during the 2019 auctions where Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out Rs 15.50 crore for him. The IPL is postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yuvraj also spoke about his fielding and the way he became such an excellent fielder. Yuvraj and Kaif were India's two best fielders during their playing days.
"I was very athletic. I used to be quick. But fielding I didn't have an excessive amount of idea. in the first Ranji match, I was playing, I used to be 15-16 years. I misfielded and next day article came out Yuvraj Singh 'gateway of India'.
"My father read that. He said now I will be able to see how you don't improve your fielding. Then I started getting better and therefore the body also got stronger."
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Talking about the famous 2002 NatWest Series final win against England where Yuvraj and Kaif shared a match-winning 121-run stand for the sixth wicket, Yuvraj said: "My lesson from that game was that you simply can't relax at any time. England had thought that they had won the sport. you cannot hand over . you've got to keep trying."
