Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, two of India's legendary cricketers, have left an indelible mark on the national team with their remarkable performances, contributing significantly to India's success over the years. Although they have achieved immense success together, there have been lingering perceptions about their personal relationship off the field. Yuvraj Singh recently shed light on this aspect, candidly revealing that they are not close friends.
During a conversation on TRS Clips, Yuvraj acknowledged that he and Dhoni shared a friendship primarily because they played cricket for India together. However, beyond the realm of cricket, their personal lives and lifestyles had significant differences that didn't allow them to form a deep bond.
"Me and Mahi are not close friends. We were friends because of cricket, we played together. Mahi's lifestyle was very different from me, so we were never close friends, we were only friends because of cricket. When me and Mahi went on the ground, we gave more than 100% to our country. In that, he was captain, I was vice-captain. When I came into the team, I was 4 years junior. When you are captain and vice-captain, there will be decision differences," said Yuvraj.
"Sometimes he made decisions I didn't like, sometimes I made decisions he didn't like. That happens in every team. When I was at the end of my career, when I wasn't getting the right picture about my career, I asked him for advice. He was the guy who told me that the selection committee is not looking you right now. I was like, at least I got to know the real picture. This is just before 2019 World Cup. That is the reality," he added.
Yuvraj emphasised that it's not mandatory for teammates in a sports team to be the best of friends outside of their professional commitments. What truly matters is the dedication and unity they display when they step onto the field.
"Your teammates don't have to be your best friends outside the field. Everybody has a different lifestyle, skill set. Certain people hang out with certain people, you don't have to be best friends with everyone to go on the field. If you take any team, all eleven don't get along. Some do, some don't. When you are in the park, put your ego behind you and contribute on the field," Yuvraj continued.
"There were times when MS was injured, I was a runner for him. I remember there was one moment when he was in 90s, I wanted to give him the strike to help him reach his 100. I remember diving for him, for his second run, as he was in 90s.
"When I was batting in a World Cup match, I was 48 against the Netherlands. There were 2 runs to get and Mahi blocked both the balls so that I get 50," he explained.
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