Yuvraj Singh has truly shed the cobwebs that clouded his mind over the past year following injuries and poor form. The southpaw has regained his talismanic role with the Indian team and after Sunday's super show of five wickets and a match-winning unbeaten 50, Yuvraj admitted to a feeling of joy and satisfaction over a job well done.
Speaking to the media, Yuvraj said: “My responsibility to the team is to finish matches, be there till the end and I am happy that I did that. I scored a 50 in the last game and another here and to help the team win and that makes me happy. There was a bit of a turn on the pitch and someone had to bat through.”
Yuvraj reiterated that he is a part-time bowler despite his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs. “I am a part-time bowler and when I got those five wickets I was as happy as I was when I scored my first international hundred. Just because I got five wickets it does not mean that I have over-shadowed a world class bowler like Harbhajan Singh or a talented bowler like Piyush Chawla.
“Every player has his day. Bhaji has scored two Test centuries, now you don't turn around and say that he over-shadowed the batsmen, do you?,” Yuvraj asked.
The last year has not been easy and Yuvraj admitted that. “I missed quite a bit of cricket over a year and a half due to injuries and now to come back and play my part in victories is very satisfying.
“May be I am not having my 100 per cent strike rate right now but more than that I am helping to finish matches and that is important. In the last match I was coming in with a lot of frustration and so when I got my 50 I was more animated but out here it was a more satisfying experience and may be I was a bit quiet,” Yuvraj said.
Meanwhile Ireland skipper William Porterfield said that the loss of early wickets affected his team. “Losing two wickets in three overs is not a good scenario for any team. We did well from there but we kept losing wickets and my dismissal came at the wrong time when actually we should have kicked on from there.
“But I am happy with the way my team fought, the way the boys fielded and bowled. Some one like George Dockrell showed a calm head on his shoulders and he has a bright future. We did well to keep the Indians under pressure,” Porterfield said.
