Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has dropped the bombshell about the emotional and mental fatigue that led him to retire from cricket in June 2019, revealing that the lingering feeling of disrespect and lack of support ultimately outweighed his desire to continue playing the game he had dedicated his life to.
Yuvraj’s retirement has arrived shortly after he was left out of India’s ODI World Cup squad in England, a decision that effectively ended his international career and his association with the Indian Premier League. While the 44-year-old has not represented India in any format since 2017, he said the latest challenge was shaped by much more than selection disappointments or dwindling opportunities.
In a recent podcast with former Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, Yuvraj admitted that the joy he once derived from cricket has slowly faded away.
“I didn’t enjoy my game. I felt like why am I playing cricket if I don’t enjoy it? I didn’t feel supported. I didn’t feel respected,” Yuvraj said. “And I felt, why do I have to do this if I don’t have this? Why do I hold back on something I don’t enjoy? Why do I have to play? Prove what? I can’t do more than this, mentally or physically, and it hurt. And the day I stopped, I was myself again.”
The former all-rounder said a constant sense of dissatisfaction led him to question the logic of continuing at the highest level, despite his deep emotional connection to the sport.
Widely regarded as one of India’s best white-ball cricketers, Yuvraj played a central role in the country’s historic triumphs at the 2007 ICC World T20 and the 2011 ODI World Cup, where he was named player of the tournament. Still, for a player whose career has been defined by resilience, reinvention and an unshakable competitive spirit, the admission offered a rare glimpse into the internal conflict that marked his final years in the game.
Yuvraj fought his way back to the international scene after being diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and returned in 2012 determined to reclaim his place. However, the physical toll of the treatment and the time spent on the sidelines meant he was no longer the explosive match-winner India once relied on.
Performances became inconsistent and opportunities became fewer. By the time the 2019 World Cup came around, Yuvraj was firmly on the sidelines and his omission signaled that the selectors had moved on. At that point, he said, it no longer made sense to continue.
Yuvraj also reflected on earlier times in his life when his abilities were in doubt and recalled an incident from his teenage years that deeply affected his family. While he insisted that he did not take the remarks personally, he admitted that his father, former cricketer Yograj Singh, was deeply hurt by them.
“Looking back now, I don’t think he had time to really look at me. He was just nice to my father,” Yuvraj said. “I was 13 or 14 at the time, just making up the sport. I don’t take it personally, but my father took it personally.”
Yuvraj remains one of the most celebrated figures in Indian cricket, but his latest comments suggest the end of his career has been affected by both his mental well-being and his scoresheet numbers.
“It hurt,” he said simply. “And the day I stopped, I was myself again.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
January 29, 2026
