Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s journey began under the intense guidance of his father, Yograj Singh, who was also his first coach. Yograj, who still trains young cricketers and works as an actor in Punjabi films, recently spoke about the extreme measures he took to shape Yuvraj into a world-class cricketer, often against the wishes of his own family.
Speaking on the YouTube channel Sports Launchpad By Saurav Yaduvanshi, Yograj revealed that his motivation stemmed from deep personal pain and a desire for redemption.
Yograj Singh’s Emotional Moment With Infant Yuvraj Recalling a deeply emotional incident from when Yuvraj was only a few months old, Yograj said he was overwhelmed by sadness and disappointment with life. “One day, I was very
sad, crying a lot and I was thinking what god had done to me,” he said.
In a moment of desperation, he picked up his son late at night and placed him in front of the Guru Granth Sahib. “I placed Yuvi in front of Guru Granth Sahib and I said either you take me away or you give him a blessing,” Yograj recalled, adding that he did not want to be remembered as a failure. “I will shoot myself,” he said.
Early Signs of Yuvraj Singh’s Natural Talent
Yograj said he noticed something extraordinary in Yuvraj from a very young age. When Yuvraj was about one and a half years old, Yograj gave him a plastic bat. While hitting the ball, the toddler applied so much force that he broke a window pane.
“At that time, I had not taught him anything,” Yograj said, calling his son “a package” and noting that Yuvraj had only just started walking.
Throwing Medals and Skates
As Yuvraj grew older, he began excelling in skating and tennis and gradually drifted away from cricket. Yograj admitted that this worried him deeply, as he wanted his son to fulfill what he saw as unfinished business with the cricketing system.
“I wanted my son to get revenge for me, from the system, the selectors, and all those who laughed at me,” he said. Yograj once played alongside Kapil Dev, but his own career was cut short.
To push Yuvraj back toward cricket, Yograj took a drastic step. After a skating competition, he threw Yuvraj’s medals out of the car, followed by his skates. When the five-year-old cried, Yograj shouted, “Shut up,” admitting later that it was the wrong thing to do.
Family Conflict and Yograj’s Unwavering Resolve
Yograj’s actions caused major conflict at home. His mother told him to leave the house if he continued treating Yuvraj this way. “She told me it’s better if you die,” Yograj recalled, adding that he was forced to choose between staying in the house or continuing Yuvraj’s cricket journey. Despite the controversy, Yograj remains unapologetic. He proudly said he turned Yuvraj into a cricketer who played even while battling cancer. “This is how champions are made,” he declared, framing his methods as part of a lifelong fight against a system he believes failed him.
