Former India batsman Yuvraj Singh is no stranger to controversy. The recent run-in with the law and order authorities is one of a few unsavoury episodes the southpaw had been part of in his cricketing career. The Punjab player had made headlines even in the past, some of which could have easily been avoided. Let us reminisce those moments when Yuvraj knowingly and unknowingly became part of certain controversies.
“Casteist Remarks” On Chahal
The incident, as mentioned above, happened in 2020 during the lockdown when cricketers were having fun with each other in virtual modes in the absence of outdoor sporting activities. The southpaw was interacting with Rohit Sharma when he said something about Yuzhvendra Chahal which was found to be quite derogatory by a section of a backward community. For the same reason, Yuvraj got arrested under SC-ST Act on October 17 but was immediately released on bail. The episode only highlights the fact that sporting celebrities should display some restraint and eschew trigger-happy responses while opening their mouth in public, even if things are uttered in a lighter vein.
Backlash Over Backing Afridi
This is another matter that could not have flared had Yuvraj been a bit prudent. Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has made no bones about his intimate ties with Yuvi. So, when Yuvraj supported Afridi’s NGO on his social media handle nobody was surprised. However, a few days later a video had surfaced in which Afridi was found to be talking in a derogatory manner about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After receiving immense trolling and verbal attacks on social media Yuvraj had no option but to express regret over his support for ex-Pak cricketer’s NGO and promised to never support such people’s endeavours. This time, though, he also had his former teammate Harbhajan Singh as a company.
Yograj’s Attack On Dhoni
Yuvraj’s father Yograj Singh once made some uncharitable remarks about the then Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for not picking Yuvi in the playing XI. This happened at a time when Yuvraj was gradually fading away from the memories of the selection committee and the captain as well. But the southpaw immediately cleared the air that he had always enjoyed playing with Dhoni and had no ill will against him and the outburst was nothing but a father’s emotion towards his son.
Allegation of Smoking Pot
Big Boss 10 contestant and former sister-in-law of Yuvraj Singh, Akansha Sharma rattled a beehive when she told an online portal that Yuvraj was into substance abuse. This shocked many of his fans as well. “As far as substance abuse goes, it was there in their family too. Whatever I did was with them. I smoked pot with my husband. Yuvraj also told me he smoked pot,” these were the claims of Akansha Sharma, Yuvi’s ex-sister-in-law to the portal. However, Yuvraj never made any serious effort to dismiss the allegation.
Match-fixing Accusation After The Loss to Pak
Nobody in India likes when India loses to Pakistan, that too in a crucial encounter. Hence, after the team’s huge loss to arch-rivals in the 2017 Champion’s Trophy final, the then-Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale accused Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli and the team of losing deliberately to Pakistan. The minister also sought an inquiry into the defeat. Both Yuvraj and Kohli maintained a stoic silence over the issue.
