Yuvraj Singh Exclusive: Playing with Sachin, beating cancer & hitting six sixes!

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1:31Yuvraj Singh: You, I definitely didn't want to meet you on a day when England loses to you. You good? I'm good.

1:37Sachin Tendulkar: Hi, how are you? Hi, nice to meet you. Okay. Thanks for all the correspondence. Thank you. You're all mic'd up, are you? I am. Oh, marvelous.

1:47Yuvraj Singh: I was supposed to say nice things about you.

1:49Sachin Tendulkar: Well, and you haven't. I'm trying. How was last night? Good? I packed up early.

1:56Yuvraj Singh: Were you drinking your own tequila? I wasn't actually. That's our friend's place. Good game. That wicket is to defend on that wicket. This is concrete. If Jaspreet didn't bowl a good over that stage, we were done, mate.

2:17Sachin Tendulkar: I've studied for a long while. We've all seen some good bowlers. I have him as the best of seeing.

2:24Yuvraj Singh: If you look at the way the game is evolving, he has to be the best. Because he's been consistently… Batsmen are not going after him. They're also like scared to go after him because they feel like rotate the strike and hit the other bowlers. and the moment they want to go after him, he doesn't love them. So he's just really smart. Obviously, he's got great skill as well. Slower volleyballs. And he's got a deceptive action, you know. It's hard to, like, pick his lower one out of his hand. How much would you have played against Jasper? Well, when I was trying to make a comeback in the team when he was about 16 years old, And he was bowling rapid in the nets.

3:17Yuvraj Singh: So what year would that have been? That would have been... 2013. Right. And I was like, I want this kid out of the nets. Stop bowling to me. Because I was just recovering from... I had to come from cancer. I wish I would get better into cricket. And this guy was just bowling lethal. I was like, kid, stop. Whoever you are. And he came and told me the story. That I was bowling to you in the nets. And you told me to stop bowling to you. Yeah, you're bowling too quick. I'm just trying to get into my zone.

3:46Sachin Tendulkar: And even back then when he was 16, did he have all the skills? I mean, he had the same tippy-toe run-up and the...

3:52Yuvraj Singh: I mean, he definitely had a longer run-up and he was... I don't think he would have so much skill, but he was quick. He was extremely quick. And with his action, you know, he's got this deceptive bounce. It keeps on getting into your ribs all the time. Yeah, we don't like that. I don't like that. Okay, get off. Get off. Where were you the moment that you found out? He said to me, mate, I've looked at his scans. I think you've got three to six months left.

4:20Sachin Tendulkar: To live? Yeah. Do you remember your first meeting with Sachin?

4:24Yuvraj Singh: I was a ball boy. Gave him a couple of biscuits. I think he was the only guy who I think never shouted at me. Stuart Broads bowling, was it just something that you fancied on the day? When I hit my fifth sixth, he was a deep mid-wicket. I smiled at him. I was like, wait, even now, mate. Next one for me.

4:42Sachin Tendulkar: How did you produce so many special performances individually when inside you must have been feeling that something wasn't quite right?

4:49Yuvraj Singh: I was waiting for seven years for my sport. And I was like, I don't care, mate, if I die. I need that sport. Do you remember making your T20 debut for Yorkshire?

4:59Sachin Tendulkar: I don't remember playing for Yorkshire. Favourite bowler to face.

5:14Sachin Tendulkar: You look at the Indian, the white ball team, T20 champs 24, ICC, Champions Rofi champs 50. I mean, you played in some incredible white ball test teams for India, but this team, I look at the depth of Indian cricket now. You had a strong team back in the day when you won it in 7 and 11. But I just look at the depth. I look at the players actually not in the team. Yassi Swee can't get in, Jayaswadi, Shubhman Gill can't get in, Shreyasaya can't get in, Kulip Yadav can't get in, the 11-1 going. I think I can name seven or eight Indian players not in this team that would get in probably every other team in the world.

5:55Yuvraj Singh: I just feel that I think IPL has had a huge impact because you see all this talent you get to see in the IPL. And then because they have the IPL exposure for them to come in the Indian team and because they already played with the players. Yeah. It becomes slightly easier because they already played in bigger crowds. Is that a big key? I think so, for sure. I feel that the comfort level of playing in the Interest side, because when we came to the side, We were literally playing with our idols straight away sitting next to them. And you probably won't say a single word for probably next the whole of the year once in the team.

6:43Yuvraj Singh: And these guys are so normal. They're so okay to play with international players all the time. They're interacting with them. They're staying with them for two months. they are learning so much watching them so they adapt pretty quickly you know so it's just i think it's been amazing in wild ball cricket for sure so you're talking about so

7:11Sachin Tendulkar: when you came into the inside you got sachin tendulka yeah you know he's a god exactly yeah you didn't have that opportunity to spend eight weeks with him in an ipo before playing for india So you're saying the likes of Yassi Swee that's coming through. He gets the chance to play with his Indian kind of superstars before he actually plays for India. And the crowd, the 30, 40, 50, 60, 100 ,000 that they play in front of in the IPL. So they're used to the crowds, they're used to the pressure, and more importantly, they're used to the legends that they're going to play with.

7:42Yuvraj Singh: Yeah, I think it makes a huge difference. I think the comfort zone. Because when I started to play, my first game was batting against Australia. They were world champions. And you suddenly feel that you belong here or don't. But once you have the exposure, you feel that you can pull this off. I think it's a huge difference. That's my opinion. I don't know.

8:09Sachin Tendulkar: Do you remember your first meeting with Sachin and where it was?

8:18Yuvraj Singh: So I was going for a 19 tour to England This club, we had a club called the Star Credit Club Yes, up there again, starting in the 9th's Exactly And Sachin had come to meet us I think he was only 19 then 19 or 20 And that's the first time I met him And then met him a couple of other times you know, less opportunity to talk to a person like that. I was a ball boy in 96. Gave him a couple of biscuits, because he wanted some. What was that? It was Mohally, I think it was 96. A test match? No, one day match. One day game. 96 or 93. So a ball boy, you mean on the edge of the boundary? Yes, exactly. I think it was 93.

9:09Sachin Tendulkar: Right.

9:10Yuvraj Singh: My father had taken me for that game. And yeah, I went to a dressing room and gave him some biscuits because he thought that I'm serving the table. Like I'm the server in the room. So he's like, can you pass me some biscuits? So I was like, please, sir. Very happy. And then obviously he came in the Indian team. All he had was a huge fan and you know, I used to watch him bat a lot as a younger kid. and when he came in the team and he was the only senior when me and Zaheer Khan got selected for the Indian team who came back in the bus we were the last benchers obviously and he shook hands with us the guys who got selected the only senior what so none of the other senior players did that I mean they must have shook shaken hands when we got off the bus but he walked because he just sit on the first seat.

10:10Yuvraj Singh: Front left? Front left. For all his career? Yes. I think he deserves to because he's number one player. So he's walked back and shaken hands with me and this guy who also played for India, Vijay Dahi, Wicked Keeper back. And me and Vijay have just rubbed our hands all over our body. Like we're not going to shower today. And then obviously um anshubhan gaiqar was a coach uh and he said that you know you're gonna bat with such in the nets so i'm like okay this is actually happening i remember calling my parents that day that i padded with such in the nets i'm actually you know i'm actually in the indian team i was 18 just getting getting to 19 and i was like honestly where am i i don't know So there were times I had to pinch myself.

11:03I was, let's see how it goes.

11:05Sachin Tendulkar: I mean, you must look back and think Sachin has started as this incredible guru that you've got close to, but now he's a real good friend. I know you play golf with him. I've got, I'm looking at your hat, the struggle is real. That'd be me and you on the golf course this afternoon. The struggle will be real, but you kind of pinch yourself. I mean, you're a superstar globally, but, you know, particularly here in India, but you all still have this person, Sachin, that you all look up to as someone very, very special.

11:35Yuvraj Singh: See, I think there's always, I feel all the cricketers in the world have looked up to someone or aspire to be like someone when they were trying to play. I'm sure you must have as well. But then the amazing thing about him is that his humility as a person, like his control whether he scores a 0 or a 100 his attitude role is the same whether he scores a 50 or a 150 or he scores 10 runs his process in the nets was the same so I learnt a lot that you know being ambassador of your country that how do you put yourself how you talk to people how you address the media what do you tell the youngsters how you push them, you know, give them confidence.

12:29Yuvraj Singh: There are some of the seniors on the side who were like really horrible, horrible things. I think he was the only guy who I think never shouted at me. Always sat down with me, I mean told me firmly a couple of times, but someone who always gave me confidence, like to get better as a player. What are the challenges? Like challenges of playing spin in Sri Lanka or playing fastball in Australia, South Africa. So I learned a lot from him as a person.

13:02Sachin Tendulkar: And his messaging, was it always, you know, everyone's a different character. So you'll be different to a Sarov or a Rahul back in the day or a Viru. Very different. Completely different. Would Sachin understand you and treat you and speak to you differently to the way that he would speak to someone like Brenda Saywag?

13:24Yuvraj Singh: Yes, I guess so. I think Bill Saywag's minds were very different. When we came in the Indian team, he was a number six waxman in domestic cricket. I was a number three waxman. and then eventually he started to open I became a number six batsman you know it's strange because sort of tried me and him both at certain um numbers but but yeah I think I think talking to the best players in the world it's about to get their mindset what they think about the game because you might have great skill but if we can't adapt to the international experience eventually you know it's I think it's it's tougher to play for your country but it's even tougher to survive there so I think you need I needed someone to get in someone's mind to understand how to get better in the international cricket because I think initially I I used to struggle to play spin you know I couldn't sweep your spinners and he told me that if you want to get better spin, you have to start sweeping.

14:37Yuvraj Singh: Because in Asia, in Sri Lanka, in India, in Bangladesh, or wherever you play, the wall's going to spin, and how you counter that is going to be brutal. I learned how to sweep after playing international cricket. So all these things, yeah.

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16:00Sachin Tendulkar: Everywhere you go, you get stopped and you get ambushed. How do you cope with that kind of scrutiny as a player?

16:06Yuvraj Singh: I really don't understand how a dead ball is tougher to hit than a moving ball. I definitely regret not playing from a young age.

16:18Sachin Tendulkar: So, I mean, you mentioned obviously playing for your country and staying there is hard, but it's got to be 10 times as hard here in India because the kind of depth of talent, but also the goldfish bowl that you guys are under from the fans in the stadia, now on social media. I mean, you know, everywhere you go, you get stopped and you get ambushed. How do you cope with that kind of scrutiny as a player?

16:49Yuvraj Singh: I mean, it does. See, I think the scrutiny comes when you're a big player and you are a performer. You have to accept that if you don't do well, criticism is going to come your way. And if you do well, they're going to praise you. And then eventually as you grow up, when you fail, you succeed, you fail, succeed. You just learn that it's all part of the media. They're going to hype you when you do well. They're not going to say nice things about you when you don't do well. You start to kind of accept that and you shift your mind towards the process of the game. Stick to your processes. So I think as a young kid you kind of like get hurt a lot when you've spoken about in the media, not such nice things.

17:39Because you think that when you come in the Indian team, I mean I thought, that when you come in you can do whatever you want.

17:48Yuvraj Singh: And then you realise that there are a lot of things you can't do now. You have to be careful. I mean, as you said, you live and you learn. And just learn that and try to do the best you can. Try to do the best version of yourself and that takes time.

18:05Sachin Tendulkar: Where is the best place in the world for you to find peace? Here in India, you're not going to get peace. You've got too much. There's people wanting your attention all day, every day. Where is it in the world that you think, I need a two-week period where I can just go and switch off and I can have a peaceful time?

18:27Yuvraj Singh: Well, I love playing golf and I find a lot of peace there.

18:32Sachin Tendulkar: What's your ethic at?

18:34Yuvraj Singh: About seven now. Seven, yeah. Dangerous. So whenever I get to travel, I like to play. My wife and kids are living in England, Nessex. All right. Yeah, so two weeks, I'm in England, 10 days. My work is travel. Come back here, do some work with cricket and stuff. But yeah, I get to, I think traveling is something where I find it peaceful. and if I don't take golf too seriously, it's fun for me. When did you start golf? I started playing 2000. It's going to be five, almost six years now. Right. And now I realize, you know, I really wish I would have started early. I think early days my regret was not playing not enough test cricket.

19:26Yuvraj Singh: And then I was like, while I was not playing test cricket, I should have just gone and played golf, you know. It would have been so much like I feel that once you get out if you have a bad game and you're just sitting in your hotel around three days waiting for the next game right. You go you practice you practice you practice and one day I'll just go out with your mates it just clears your head no matter how badly or good you play golf but it's just like it would have been such a great getaway. But it's also not in our culture. Like you guys, the Kiwis, South Africans, Australians. You've been playing golf since you were kids.

20:11Yuvraj Singh: Most of them. But we were never encouraged. Like my dad always said, you can not play any other sport except cricket. I was told that. So yeah, hopefully I put my son into golf now. How old is he? Four. Four and he's hitting a golf? Like, let's go do some chipping in the garden. And can he bat? He's got good speed, good hand speed, but I was like, no cricket right now. Get into golf. But if he wants to play, I'm not going to stop him.

20:43Sachin Tendulkar: Yeah, I kind of look at golf, and England have had a period where they've played, you know, a lot of golf, and some people have kind of gone, oh, you know, they've played too much golf. I get that. You know, the mental kind of switch off from the pressures, particularly along the format of the game. it is a mental breather isn't it

21:02Yuvraj Singh: it is it is as I said how seriously you take it if you if you having fun with your friends it's definitely mental breather because you don't realize you're out in the greens it's quiet it's peaceful walking and talking with your friends playing hitting the ball I really don't understand how is a dead ball tougher to hit than a moving ball. But I definitely regret not playing from a young age.

21:33Sachin Tendulkar: That's when Yuvraj Singh went from being a player that people knew about to a well-talked-about player.

21:39Yuvraj Singh: What if I win the next game for India? Do I get an upgrade to a Ferrari? He said, no, no, no, no, no. You will only get a Porsche.

21:51Sachin Tendulkar: I'm going to tell you back, Yubi, to 2003, a long time ago. Do you remember making your T20 debut for Yorkshire? I don't remember playing for Yorkshire. I do, I do, I do. That was your first ever T20 game. I mean, it's a long time ago. Do you remember thinking what your first initial thoughts of T20 cricket were in 2003?

22:18Yuvraj Singh: I remember seeing you in the bus and you had scored three test 100 in ashes. And I was like trying to pick your brain and you were like mate we're playing T20.

22:35Yuvraj Singh: And I remember you know I think I was batting at number three sometimes opening. No idea how to go about T20. Because you're playing 50 overs, and in those times, 50 overs, either you are 60 for 4, 100 for 4, or you're betting the last 10 overs. Right? And you're like, you know what, 50 overs, there's no time. Like, when do we get time to bet? Because as a number 6 batsman. And when you're batting T20, you're like, I have to swing every ball, right? And now you realize T20 has so much time. Like you play a T20 game and then you play a 50-year game. It looks like a test match. So, I mean, it was a learning experience for me.

23:28Yuvraj Singh: Heading league, not ideal that time. Ball used to move a lot. I really struggled. but I kind of enjoy the experience of, you know, being in a different culture, learning from other people. Yeah, I just wish I had more experience betting in those conditions.

23:46Sachin Tendulkar: Yeah, I mean, it's all character building, isn't it, as a young player? I mean, a few years later, you win a T20 World Cup. Lalit Modi, I'm intrigued with Lalit. Is that correct that he offered a car for someone that could hit six sixes?

24:05Yuvraj Singh: Yeah, I keep on hearing his story on social media. He said to me that if someone hits six sixes, I'm going to give him a Ferrari.

24:21And it just happened.

24:23Yuvraj Singh: And I was like, where's my Ferrari? No, I think he promised a Mercedes and then I was like, where's the Mercedes? He promised a Porsche. Sorry, Porsche 911. Yeah. And so I was like, where's the Porsche? And he's like, you're going to get your car. I was like, what if I win the next game for India? Do I get an upgrade to a Ferrari? he said no no no no no you will only get a Porsche and I think I mean I changed it to another car but I got my car from him also he did deliver the car yes he did he delivered it to India yes I got a BMW M5 is that right in India and he did deliver he's a his man of his word just on that moment that was when when you

25:19Sachin Tendulkar: were obviously playing well at the time, but that's when you, Vraj Singh, went from being a player that people knew about to a well-talked-about player. Stuart Broad's bowling, was it just something that you fancied on the day? He's a good mate of mine, Stuart, so that's why I'm true. I know you've still got the bat, but was it just, all right, Brody, thank you very much? Or was there something about Brody that you wanted to do it to him?

25:47Yuvraj Singh: No, it's just, we had some fun conversations. after that. I met him in England for an event and had a chat with him. And it was nice to get into his mindset what he thinks about what happened at that time. I think people just talk about that. That my conversation with Freddie got me into that space. But I anyways had to swing every ball because that time it was last three overs or two overs. I just kind of figured out when he was trying to bowl and obviously that time he was younger he was quick he had bounce but I think in T20 the skill was not there that time so like there was no off cutters or you know there was nothing that he could try something different but I think I think that the zone that I was that day I probably would have hit everything out of the park, to be honest.

26:48Yuvraj Singh: I'm not trying to brag about myself. It was that one over point that you hit. Yeah, I've never hit a shot like that. That was a shot. Yeah. And I think he had a chat with Paul Collingwood after the third six, is that, you know what, you stick to the box outside because that boundary is long. Stick to the box. And I was like, okay, you know, if he bowls here, Even if he bowls a full toss, it's just hard to connect. Like consistently hit over cover and point for sixes. Because you just can't hit. And on the fourth wall, he decided to come on my legs. And I was like, after the fourth six over point, he tried to come for my legs on the fifth and sixth ball.

27:34Yuvraj Singh: I was like, that's a bad call now. Because that was my stronger side and the boundary was shorter. and on the fifth six kind of hit my toe of the bat. I went for a six and sixth one I was just ready because I knew what is he going to bowl because I got hit for five sixes against England in one ODA game. That was Dimitri. I remember when I hit my fifth six he was a deep mid-wicket. I smiled at him. I was like, we're even now, mate. Next one for me. So, yeah, I just thought he was inexperienced in T20 which is acceptable. And from there, you know, he became a legendary fast bowler. Picked up more than, I think 635 test victories.

28:18Yuvraj Singh: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That's just ridiculous. I mean, he turned that moment into, I think, into power and became a great bowler. And we often talk about that. I think somebody could have, career could have been over. Never want to play cricket again. You know, I see like Manoj Prabhakar, I remember, Sanat hit him for like 30 runs and won over. He never came back. But obviously Stuart was younger. And Stuart's dad, Chris Broad, he was the manager, he was the third empire for India-Australia semifinal. And he came and told me, and he walked on the pitch and he was like, you almost finished my son's career.

29:06Yuvraj Singh: I was like, sir, I've been hit for five, sixes, I know how it feels. And he said, you need to sign a shirt for Stuart, right? So on my India shirt, I wrote to Stuart that, you know, I've been hit for five, sixes, I know how it feels. I hope you go on to become, you know, the best. And lately I realized somewhere that when Chris gave him that shirt, but he threw this shirt in the dustbin. He was so angry. Which is acceptable because he didn't accept that. And I don't know how much is that true. I never spoke to him about it. I'd say you are. I bet you wished he had it now. But, um... But yeah, I think he turned that moment into a very powerful career.

29:52Yuvraj Singh: And to be honest, from the other side, I'm very happy for him. And he said to me, mate, I've looked at your scans. I think you've got three to six months left. To live? Yeah. Wow. I was waiting for seven years for my spot. And I was like, I don't care, mate, if I die. I need that spot.

30:14Sachin Tendulkar: Do you think that moment of you winning that first T20 World Cup was the moment Indian cricket changed? I think it did.

30:20Yuvraj Singh: Because we had lost the 2007 World Cup. We didn't qualify.

30:24Sachin Tendulkar: Yeah.

30:25Yuvraj Singh: We lost to Bangladesh, lost to Sri Lanka. and our team environment was really bad. We were just like, it was really bad. And then we won in the 2007 World Cup. Younger guys, our seniors were rested. And we just, Australia came after us verbally. We went after them verbally. We were just like, we had nothing to lose. We went in a tournament, nothing to lose. But we didn't know how to approach T20 cricket. Because I remember when I went into bad against Australia, England obviously we were playing well against Australia. We were 8 overs for 41 runs, 2 wickets. So we didn't actually know how to approach, where to attack or to, you know, play.

31:15Yuvraj Singh: I mean, played some fearless cricket, won the T20 World Cup and definitely Indian cricket. you know we won the 2011 World Cup after that so I think from that period to 2011 we really played well in whiteboard cricket I think Gary Kirsten was a big influence in that moment what what what did Gary Kirsten bring to the group that was so special Gary was a good man we needed a good guy That's what we wanted. Someone who said, guys, let's be one on the park. Let's be together. And Gary was very hardworking. And I think the day he came, he said that in the next four years, till the 2011 World Cup, we're going to be the number one T20 side.

32:04Yuvraj Singh: We're going to be the number one test side. And we're going to be the number one ODI side. And a couple of guys looked at each other. what he's saying and that's what we did in the next four years while Australia was dominating as well so I think his intention was good he was a good man and he took Indian cricket to a different level

32:29Sachin Tendulkar: it's amazing isn't it when someone we had a chairman that took over the ECB around 2008-9 and he came out with this statement want to be the number one team in the world and exactly the same response it was like really league. Anyway, a few years later, England did get to the number one team in the world. I think it's important that, you know, players get that kind of goal to aim for. And if it looks a little bit far-fetched, you as a player subconsciously go, well, I better train a bit harder or play a bit better because that's our goal. Is that what happened with the Indian side with Gary Kirsten in charge?

33:05Yuvraj Singh: I think also a confidence level, right? Like if I come to you as a coach, say, Michael, You're my match winner. I want you to go and win the game for me. I don't care how many failures you had. Just go and win the game. Suddenly your mindset switches like that the team and the coach believes in me. They want me to go and win the game. They have confidence in me. And Gary always told me that you are a game changer. He said you bat 20-25 overs, you're going to change the game. So you go do that. even whatever test cricket I played at number six he told me the same thing go and play your game you know and if you do that you're going to win the game for India that gave me a lot of confidence when he told me that you are going to be the game changer for India it just gave me a lot of confidence to just go out there and bat you just need that one switch

33:59Sachin Tendulkar: and the game changer came in the 2011 World Cup Man of the Series consistent throughout there at the end in Mumbai it doesn't get any better than that what are your recollections of that whole World Cup campaign? I actually was getting injured a lot before the World Cup I had too many injuries I broke my neck I had a

34:22Yuvraj Singh: couple of fractures in my fingers and broke my wrist really badly and every time I was trying to get in the park I was getting injured but I like kind of like kept working hard and obviously my health was suffering for whatever reasons Throughout that World Cup, were you not well? Yeah, I was kind of sick like two months before the World Cup. I started to feel like... I started to spit a little bit of blood two months before that. We were playing in South Africa. Right. And I was like, I don't know, just got to ignore these symptoms because the World Cup was coming in India. I was... I think I was...

35:00Yuvraj Singh: I was not in good form and... There were questions on me being on the side. I was bowling a lot. That was kind of helping me. And I just wanted to focus on the game and just get through the World Cup before I go and get tested.

35:19Sachin Tendulkar: Did you, obviously the performance that you gave in the World Cup, the way that you got out on the field, even though you're not feeling great, how did you produce so many special performance individually when inside you must have been feeling that something wasn't quite right

35:36Yuvraj Singh: i just um i just needed a switch i just needed one good performance and i think uh i think gary uh sent me to bed up the order against england um in bangalore i got 50 odd runs i had a good conversation with suchin as well before the world cup he said that sometimes the sea goes very numb before the storm comes in. I think that's kind of embedded in me for a long time and that actually happened. And yeah, I just need a switch to like get going.

36:13Yuvraj Singh: And my graph has always been like that. Like if I had failures, it has gone on for a while. But when I start to do well, I've been consistently doing well. But you know, it's always found hard to have that balance of consistency. But batting at 5 and 6, I felt, you know, it was hard to control the game because you have not many wickets left. But anyways, coming back to the World Cup, I just needed a switch. I just needed one good performance. That came against England and after that I was kind of started to bad well. You know, you were tweaking them well as well? I know, the pie chucker was rolling well.

37:00Yuvraj Singh: And I mean those rules were different, you know. There were five fielders outside the circle, the part-timers could bowl. And everything started to fall in place. Just kept on working hard, believing in myself. all the things were all going well and everything came together at the right time

37:18Sachin Tendulkar: How did you I'm guessing the final and that night was probably the best moment of your career winning a World Cup in Mumbai being in Sri Lanka, being there at the end it doesn't get any better than that a few months later or weeks later you find out that you've been diagnosed with cancer, how do you cope with the incredible high and then this this awful low it was hard at that time to accept it you know your

37:49Yuvraj Singh: peak of your career you won the World Cup you made the tournament and always and always assess that it's like you are up on top of a mountain and you fall down the ditch and you have to figure out what your life is going to be yeah it's hard it was no I was not able to come to terms with it you know for the for one year. Where were you the moment that you found out? I was in Delhi. And we were going to a two-month tour to West Indies, one and a half-month tour to West Indies, and then two and a half-month to England. And Gangulya had just retired, and suddenly there was like, my place had just opened out to play test cricket.

38:35Yuvraj Singh: I was waiting for seven years for my sport. And I was like, I don't care, mate, if I die. I need that spot. So, and not coming to terms with it was something which I was going through. Because, you know, as a sportsman, you can't be sick. You're supposed to play for India. But then eventually I got sicker and sicker playing cricket and the doctor, one of our, Dr. Nitesh Rohotki is one of our close friends, also a very senior doctor. And he said to me, mate, I looked at your scans. The tumor is sitting between your heart and lung, sitting on the pipe. Either you go and play cricket or either you might have a heart attack.

39:26Yuvraj Singh: Because I think you've got 3 to 6 months left if you don't do chemotherapy. To live? Yeah. And that's the time when I was like, okay, now I really need to, you know, think what I need to do. Which is not a great thing because, you know, at the Cancer Foundation, we try and detect people early. And I was here not to come to terms with what I was going through. So that's where I went to obviously England to get tested. Then I landed up with Dr. Lawrence Einhorn who treated Lance Armstrong as well. And my treatment started. It kind of took a whole year to come to terms with it that I won't be able to play cricket.

40:10Yuvraj Singh: Maybe ever, maybe never. But once the treatment was through, I was very... I was motivated to come back and play. But nobody believed that I could come back and play. How do you find the strength to fight that?

40:26Sachin Tendulkar: I mean, it's not just the physical strength that you've got to fight this cancer. It's the emotions that you're talking through. You're a cricketer. You've won the World Cup. You go into the West Indies, but then you're getting told you've got cancer. And then you're getting told you've got potentially three to six months to live. You don't have chemotherapy. How do you cope with that?

40:46Yuvraj Singh: I think mentally it was a bit harder. Physically, yes. but mentally I think I needed something to like come back to. If I had a desk job and I was thinking okay I have to go back to a desk job and do something. I needed something to motivate myself. Something to come out of a hole here like if I don't play cricket who am I? I'm no one. That's what I believed. looking at myself in the mirror every day. And kept on watching all videos. I remember Anil Kumle once came over there to America, shut my laptop and said, you need to focus on your health. Stop watching your videos. But I just kept on wanting to go back to cricket.

41:38Yuvraj Singh: So he traveled from India to see you in America. He did. A lot of guys like Sachin came to England. And when I was there, A couple of my other friends came to America to see me but I found motivation in something always.

41:58But people thought that I'm not going to play cricket again.

42:04Yuvraj Singh: But I remember Dr. Einhorn, he said that you can go back and play again. He gave me that confidence. He said that you'll be a man who will walk out of the hospital and never have cancer again. Again, inspiring words, confidence. So taking all those things and coming back. I remember I came back and played for India in 6 months. I played a T20 World Cup. But I was not at my best. I was slow on the field. I was slow in reacting on the ball. I knew I'm not at my best. And I still got one man the match against South Africa. I don't know how that happened. But then I realised that I was not consistent in and out of the team.

42:49Yuvraj Singh: I needed, I was like, I can't play cricket like this. And I remember going, Zaheer Khan was also out on the test side. And we both decided to go to France for like further training. so I think we worked on ourselves for about two months in fitness training eating well sleeping early getting up early trained in a remote area called brief in France for two months both of us got fitter and lost a couple of pounds came back and made my comeback again

43:27Sachin Tendulkar: incredible I mean the story that you tell about your mental resolve to come through is remarkable since then obviously you've created a foundation you're doing some amazing work across India world with this foundation just tell us all about your foundation and the work it's doing

43:48Yuvraj Singh: so obviously you know through my story I started to work with below poverty late children We treated more than 300 kids, we've done scholarships for more than 500 kids. Children who've had cancer and the parents have lost all their funds in their treatment. We fund the scholarship so that they have something to look, come back to, look forward to. And you know, whether it's cervical cancer or breast cancer for women, we do testing all around the world. And our vans go, we have detection vans which go into rural areas. They detect people who cannot get to hospitals. And there's a lot of corporates that are funding us, helping us.

44:37Yuvraj Singh: And we do some great work, I'm very proud of that. And my team. Who's going to win the Football World Cup? Definitely not you guys. What? Thomas Tuchel? You guys, I don't know. We haven't conceded a goal under Thomas. My in-laws are from England. I want England to win.

44:58Sachin Tendulkar: A few quickfire questions. You need to finish. So they said they've got 36 quickfire because of the 36 runs that you hit from Stuart Bull, but we're not going to do 36. He's not going to like you anymore. No, he does, he does. I play a bit of golf with him. He's off about seven.

45:14Yuvraj Singh: Yeah, he's...

45:15Sachin Tendulkar: He hits miles in the air. He's not very good in the wind.

45:20Sachin Tendulkar: Right, here we go. What's your favourite format to watch and play? Test cricket. Test cricket. Always. Always. Great. Former teammate you would pick to bat to save your life?

45:40Yuvraj Singh: Blobby Tendulkar.

45:42Sachin Tendulkar: Sachin, favourite film? Favourite film?

45:48Yuvraj Singh: Ford versus Ferrari. Wow. Favourite actor? Ranbir Kapoor, Shahrukh Khan. I have a few. They're all mates as well, aren't they? Yeah. And yeah, probably that.

46:07Sachin Tendulkar: Favourite country to play cricket in?

46:14Sachin Tendulkar: I would say two, England and New Zealand. England, New Zealand. Favourite country to visit? New Zealand. New Zealand. Favourite sport outside cricket? Golf. Golf now. Favourite, I know you're a big Man United fan. Favourite Man United player, past and present?

46:33Yuvraj Singh: Past, Van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo. Now,

46:39Sachin Tendulkar: I don't know, kind of like Bruno. Bruno's a good player. the game. Yeah, he's doing well. Let's go. Favorite batting partner?

46:47Yuvraj Singh: I would say, because I've been a lot with him, MS Dhoni.

46:56Sachin Tendulkar: MS Dhoni. Please say who I want you to say. Favorite favourite bowler to face?

47:06Yuvraj Singh: I'm not going to say that. I probably fancy my own bowling, actually. For Samit Bhattel. Samit Bhattel?

47:16Sachin Tendulkar: Fancy his bowling for sure. We're not going to go through all these. You've given us so much time. I know you're a big football fan. We'll play golf. You love your golf. But who's going to win the Football World Cup?

47:35Yuvraj Singh: Definitely not you guys. What? Thomas Tuchel? You guys, I don't know. We haven't conceded a goal under Thomas. My in-laws are from England. I want England to win. Come on. But you guys, every time you get into the finals or same finals, you guys just like... I mean, you won in the 60s, right? 66. And when was the next time after that you won? No, we haven't. Would you? Would you? I really want England to win, to be honest. Because I'm a United fan, I watch the English Premier League. All the best players in the world play the English Premier League. And obviously, Spanish La Liga and other leagues as well.

48:12Yuvraj Singh: But England has got such great players. Why don't you tell me why you guys don't win?

48:18Sachin Tendulkar: I think we should have won the Euros. Playing Italy at Wembley, probably went a little bit too safe after that. So maybe that is the message to the England team. If they get into that position of semis, final, be braver. Go and score some goals. I think they've got the talent. Whether they can beat Spain or France, only time will tell. I think Belgium are a good side as well. Argentina, Brazil.

48:41Yuvraj Singh: To the camera, please, England.

48:43Sachin Tendulkar: Go in this one. I said it was the last question. This is the last question. Michael Carrick, should he be the Manchester United manager next season? 1 ,000%.

48:53Yuvraj Singh: 1 ,000%. He should be manager for the next three years. Really? Because I think he's the kind of guy who can build confidence in younger players. And obviously he knows how to manage older players. I think he's the right guy because his demeanor is very strong. His demeanor does not change when he's doing well or he's doing badly. I think he's the right guy. That's my opinion.

49:19Sachin Tendulkar: Do you play paddle tennis? Yeah. Karik's a good paddle player. Yeah, a lot to play with him. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe we could set that one up. When you're in the UK, you're obviously there a lot. We'll try and set you a meeting with Michael. Well, you get to Man United anyway, don't you?

49:31Yuvraj Singh: Yeah, but I never have interaction. You've got the keys to Old Trafford, I hear. Yeah, I've witnessed a few games, but love to interact with the coach because I'm also coaching. Yeah. You know, doing mentoring work with... How's that? Enjoying it? Loving it. It's just like getting... Understanding their mindset when I was kind of stuck in Interhippity. So it's good to meet a coach like Michael Carrick, understand his mindset, what he thinks about the sport and what he thinks about the players.

50:04Sachin Tendulkar: Yeah. Juve, that's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you for joining us. We better go and whack a few balls. Cheers, mate. We'll have a tequila on who can shoot the lowest round today. Fino. Fino, right. A bottle of Fino on the lowest round.

50:32We'll be right back.

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