“My Son Yuvraj Singh Means the World to Me”

Yuvraj Singh’s Mother Shabnam Singh tells us why Yuvraj means the world to her.

Shabnam Singh with her son Yuvraj Singh.

(Photo: The Test of My Life / Yuvraj Singh Library / Nishant Arora)

Initially, Yuvraj was a very well-behaved child, but he became naughty as he grew older.

Shabnam Singh, Yuvraj Singh’s Mother      

This is what Yuvraj Singh’s mother Shabnam Singh told The Quint in an exclusive interview.

A Young Yuvraj Singh (Photo: The Test of My Life / Yuvraj Singh Library)

According to his mother, Yuvraj spent most of his time on the cricket field, and as a result, his studies suffered. He changed schools almost every year.

The mother-son duo found it really tough to handle the highs and lows when Yuvraj started out as a cricketer. One day he would be praised for his good performance, while the next day, criticism followed if he failed to perform. With time, both learnt to cope with these circumstances.

Yuvraj Singh celebrating his eleventh birthday (Photo: The Test of My Life/Yuvraj Singh Library)

In 2011, India won the Cricket World Cup and Yuvraj was declared Man of the Series. He dedicated the trophy to his parents. But he couldn’t celebrate for too long as he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his left lung the same year. He travelled to the US for treatment and was discharged in March 2012.

Yuvraj Singh and his Mother Shabnam Singh (Photo: The Test of My Life/Nishant Arora)

For the initial few months, I just couldn’t come to terms with the fact that Yuvraj had cancer. But I couldn’t afford to break down. So I decided to leave emotions aside and decided to cure my son at any cost.

Shabnam Singh, Yuvraj Singh’s Mother      

Shabnam Singh at the Indianapolis Gurdwara (Photo: The Test of My Life/Nishant Arora)

During the initial years of his cricketing career, the family was going through a financial crisis, so Yuvraj took it upon himself to support his mother.

Life has thrown many challenges at this mother-son duo, but with their resolve and love for each other, they have hit every challenge out of the park.

Correspondent: Smita Chand
Cameraperson: Ather Rather
Video Editor: Hitesh Singh
Producer: Tridip K Mandal

(This article was first published on 13 May 2017 and has been reposted from The Quint’s archives after Yuvraj announced his retirement)