As the ball kissed the inside edge of his bat and raced towards the fine leg boundary, Yuvraj Singh’s joy echoed in the voices of a billion Indians watching on. He leaped in the air, punching his fist, roaring and grinning – a scene that would go on to become a very familiar picture in the years to come.
The SCG erupted as Yuvraj took off his helmet and punched his bat into the air once more. He took a moment, thanking the heavens above and soaking in the appreciation from the crowd. His grin was infectious, his delight evident and the relief palpable.
The innings had been an arduous one, but one full of beauty. The shot that brought up Yuvraj’s century, however, failed to do his innings prior the justice it deserved. The inside edge narrowly escaped the all-rounder’s stumps but it was a perfect reflection of the kind of danger Yuvraj thrived upon.
THE BACKDROP
Andy Bichel appeals for LBW against Parthiv Patel
The seventh match of the 2003-04 VB Series barely had the ingredients of an exciting match. India were without the services of two stalwarts in Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, while the Australian team appeared invincible at home, bulging with big names among their ranks. An Indian defeat was the more probable outcome, but what remained to be seen was whether they submitted tamely or fought with sweat and blood.
The decision to bat first at Sydney worked against India in the initial overs of their innings. Brett Lee wrecked havoc with the new ball and was ably supported by Jason Gillespie. The Indian skipper was caught behind in the second over, and young Parthiv Patel soon followed suit. Rahul Dravid was the next to go having claimed three boundaries in seven balls.
All of a sudden, Sourav Ganguly’s men found themselves reeling at 80-3 with numbers three and five in the middle being entrusted with the responsibility of saving the prestige of their proud cricketing nation on foreign soil. VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh had never been the most popular candidates for the role, but regardless it was now up to them to reap the benefits of their combination.
AN INNINGS TO CHERISH
Yuvraj picked the gaps with smartness
It was understandable that Laxman, as the senior partner, anchored the innings while Yuvraj took off from the get-go. From the fifth ball he faced, Yuvraj set a clear indication of the mood he was in by registering his first boundary off Ian Harvey.
However, it was not until the second ball of the 26th over that the full extent of Yuvraj’s intentions were made clear. As Andrew Symonds hopped in from over the wicket, Yuvraj utilised the depth of the crease and slapped the ball through mid-wicket, leaving the bowler staring on in disbelief.
Yuvraj defended resolutely, picked gaps at will, rotated the strike expertly and interspersed ones and twos with pressure relieving boundaries. He moved at a brisk pace and enticed Laxman out of his shell. Amidst the cuts and drives, Laxman continued to script the special kind of innings that he had always done against Australia, but to those in the crowd everything was about ‘Yuvi’.
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THE EXPLOSION
The 22-year-old batted with confidence and poise throughout, but just like every Punjabi meal the best was saved for last. At the time, Ian Harvey was regarded as one of the finest bowlers at the death in Australia and he was clearly expected to produce the goods when Ricky Ponting brought him on to bowl the penultimate over. What ensued, however, did much more to establish Yuvraj’s finishing skills on the biggest stage than endorse Harvey’s claims.
After Laxman took a single off the second ball and performed a short, customary celebration for reaching his century, Yuvraj assumed strike with Harvey rushing in from around the wicket. A lavish pull to the stands over midwicket was followed by a sublime hit to the fence through extra cover, before a sweep to the leg side boundary and a straight six that slammed into the sight screen and lifted India from 266-3 to 288-3 within a space of six deliveries.
Yuvraj perished in the final over while trying to flick Lee to the leg-side, but by then he had already done his job for the nation. To this day, his 139 against Australia at Sydney remains his best effort in limited overs cricket for India.
As a cricketer with an eternally insatiable appetite for runs, Yuvraj’s success under pressure became one of his greatest assets. That his greatest performances would arrive against the best teams in the world in a fashion that would mesmerise fans, enthrall critics and fascinate pundits, spoke volumes about Yuvraj.
The crowd’s display of appreciation as the youngster walked off the field revealed the impact his innings had. In spite of the fact that India ultimately lost the match via the D/L method, January 22, 2004 went down in history as the day Yuvraj Singh blossomed into a flamboyant middle-order batsman with match-winning capabilities. It was the first of the many knocks that would define Indian cricket and Yuvraj in the years to come.
