India’s stature in world cricket is undeniable. In every ICC or continental tournament, the team is invariably among the favourites. Yet, this dominance was not achieved overnight. It came after decades of struggle, hard work, and the rise of several cricketing legends who helped shape the team’s identity. Choosing the greatest cricketer India has ever produced is no easy task, but former India pacer Yograj Singh, father of iconic all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, offered his perspective in a recent interview.When asked, “Who is the best cricketer India has ever produced?” Yograj did not hesitate.
“If you talk about all-rounders, then Kapil Dev. If you talk about batsmen, then you have Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly – all these guys – but I think Yuvi (Yuvraj) is topping everybody in my book,” Yograj said.He added, “He would have played about 200 Test matches and maybe scored 200 centuries, which I thought… and he was capable of.”To put this in perspective, Yuvraj Singh featured in 304 ODIs, 40 Tests, and 58 T20Is for India, scoring 11,778 international runs across formats, including 17 centuries and 71 fifties, and taking 148 wickets with his handy left-arm spin. His exploits in limited-overs cricket, especially in ICC events, cemented his reputation as one of the finest all-rounders India has produced.However, Yograj Singh did not shy away from controversy, claiming that his son faced internal politics during his career. Speaking to InsideSport, he said that Yuvraj had very few genuine allies in the team, naming legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar as the only true friend. Yograj also criticised former India captain Virat Kohli, alleging that teammates feared Yuvraj might challenge their spots.“As I told you, there are no friends in the sphere of success, money, and glory. There were always backstabbers, people who wanted to put you down. People were scared of Yuvraj Singh because they were afraid he would usurp their seats, because he was such a great player created by God Almighty. He has been one of the greatest players, and they were scared – right from MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, everybody – ‘Oh, he might take my chair,’” Yograj said.
