Yuvraj Singh Waits for Recall
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Monday 17th November, 2008 13 Yuvraj Singh waits for recall Indore: A shadow passed across Yuvraj Singh’s face on Friday evening at Rajkot. It was the lone moment when regret tugged at his heart after he played an innings, which he would recount in his twilight years with a rocking chair and old friends for company. Yuvraj was asked about missing out on the Test squad during the recent series against Australia and he replied: “I was disappointed that I couldn’t be in that squad but I am happy that our team won the series.” The moment passed and it was back to reliving his unbeaten 138. TOUGH COOK- Stiff competition IE: Yuvraj However, as the Indian team criss-crosses the Singh over- country during the current seven-match One-Day came back International series against England, Yuvraj will injury and be among its batsmen who will mutter prayers played a blind- and hope that the runs will flow. Sourav er in the first Ganguly’s retirement has opened up a slot in the Indian Test middle order and for Yuvraj, Suresh ODI against Raina and Rohit Sharma in the limited overs England. The squad and for even S. Badrinath, a tad unlucky to southpaw will be back in the Ranji Trophy circuit, runs in the be eager to Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (23) dunks the ball in next fortnight are critical. regain fitness the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the The first Test against England will commence and stake his Utah Jazz, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008, in Cleveland. James had at Ahmedabad on December 11 and the quartet claim for a 38 points for the Cavaliers 105-93 win. along with Virat Kohli will hope to get the call. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) place in the An opportunity has cropped up after eight years Test squad. when V.V.S. Laxman relinquished his opener’s role and slipped into Mohammad Azharuddin’s innings at Rajkot that had its lone moments of But before that Yuvraj has to attend to his James leads shoes. discomfort in the early spells of Andrew Flintoff, back and India has to win the ODI series against was important for Yuvraj. England. (The Hindu) Missing out Cavs past There have been others who had the opportu- Touching gesture nity but failed. Mohammad Kaif and Hemang “When a player is down, that Badani during the Sri Lankan tour of 2001, is the time when you should back short-handed Jazz stepped into the Test squad after Sachin him and boost his morale,” Dhoni Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman missed out due to had said when asked about CLEVELAND (AP) - season, played 42 minutes injuries. Yuvraj’s poor form prior to the LeBron James scored 38 and was 15-for-20 from Sadly Kaif and Badani could not translate match and it was a touching ges- the field. His total was the points in leading a second- their talent into runs. ture to see Virender Sehwag, highest this season by a half rally that helped the It was a folly that tripped Vijay Bharadwaj too returning to the pavilion after his Cleveland Cavaliers beat rookie, topping O.J. Mayo’s in 2000. Kaif is still around, slogging in the 85, pause near the ropes and the short-handed Utah 33. domestic circuit while his former India ‘A’ coach advice Yuvraj. Jazz 105-93 for their sev- Andris Biedrins had 17 K. Srikkanth chairs the selection committee now. “Sehwag told me that it was a enth straight NBA victory points and 16 rebounds for But more than all these batsmen, it is Yuvraj who good wicket and asked me to bat on Saturday. his 16th consecutive dou- will bank on destiny and runs to make the grade long,” Yuvraj said later. Mo Williams added 20 ble-double, the Warriors’ again. These small things rich in points for the Cavaliers, longest streak since Nate “This hundred was about proving myself that symbolism much akin to Dhoni including a 3-pointer and a Thurmond’s 18 straight in I still belong at this stage,” Yuvraj said after his carrying Anil Kumble on his layup midway through the 1971-72. Stephen Jackson 78-ball blitz at Rajkot. Since his Test debut in shoulders in Delhi, reflect a happy fourth quarter that pushed had 20 points and 10 2003, Yuvraj has played 23 matches in a career team and it is up to Yuvraj and the Cleveland’s lead to 95-84, assists. plagued by dips in form and an injured knee. others to build on the positive its biggest since the first Baron Davis finished Last December after a 169 against Pakistan in vibes and take forward the tradi- quarter. with 25 points and 11 the Bangalore Test, he elbowed into the touring tion of the ‘great Indian middle Carlos Boozer led Utah assists for the Clippers. party to Australia and slumped with 17 runs from order.’ with 17 points. The Jazz, 76ers 110, Thunder 85 four innings. He in the finale of a five-game At Philadelphia, then got a lone Eastern trip, were without Thaddeus Young scored 23 innings against the starters Deron Williams points, Elton Brand and South Africans at and Mehmet Okur, and top Andre Iguodala added 15 Kanpur in April and reserves Andrei Kirilenko apiece, and Philadelphia and Matt Harpring. Nets cruised past struggling scored 32. 119, Hawks 107 Oklahoma City. His limited overs At Atlanta, Devin Samuel Dalembert con- form too nose-dived Harris scored 33 points, tributed 13 points and 16 with 72 runs in the Vince Carter had 29 and rebounds for the Sixers, Sri Lankan tour. In New Jersey beat Atlanta who won their third this backdrop, the for the second straight straight day. game to Harris, who made 13 even of 14 free throws, has their three straight games with record at at least 30 points. 5-5. Joe Johnson scored 31 Jeff points for Atlanta, which Green has lost three straight scored 21 after a 6-0 start. Marvin points Williams and Flip Murray and Kevin each had 14 points. Durant Warriors 121, Clippers 103 added 13 At Los Angeles, for undrafted rookie Anthony Oklahoma Morrow had 37 points and City, which fell 10 rebounds in his first to 1-9 NBA start, and Golden and State beat Los Angeles. dropped Morrow, who averaged its sev- 7.7 points as a reserve in enth in a his other three games this row..