Yuvraj returns home to emotional welcome

April 09, 2012 11:08 am | Updated November 17, 2021 10:55 am IST - New Delhi

Yuvraj Singh with his mother Shabnam after his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi, on Monday. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Yuvraj Singh with his mother Shabnam after his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi, on Monday. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

India's World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh returned home to an emotional welcome by his fans on Monday.

Yuvraj flew in from London after spending time on the way back from the United States where he underwent treatment since January for a rare germ cell cancer.

Yuvraj, 30, was diagnosed with the ailment soon after the World Cup last year and was forced to skip subsequent cricket assignments in the West Indies, England and Australia as the treatment required three cycles of chemotherapy. He had kept his fans and friends informed through regular tweets and media updated through his management team.

“Finally the day has come! I am going home tomorrow! Can't wait, excited to see my friends and family…see you India!! Mera bharat mahaan,” he had tweeted on Sunday before boarding the flight. His friends confirmed Yuvraj had been “terribly” home sick and insisted on an early return to his home and the cricket academy in Gurgaon.

The cricketer showed little signs of fatigue as he stepped out to a chaotic media reception at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Remarkably cool, he walked into a waiting Audi SUV, his newest acquisition following the World Cup triumph. He had revealed later that he played the World Cup under severe stress — constant coughing and gasping and bouts of fatigue.

“I am happy to be back. Recovering well. I will meet you at length on Wednesday,” he told the media from the balcony of his residence. Yuvraj was reportedly looking forward to spending time with his old cricketing friends and was touched to see some of the fans who had come from native Punjab.

Yuvraj also wanted to convey his gratitude to the Board for looking after him during his time of distress. “It was my most difficult period,” Yuvraj had said sometime back on his physical and mental state.

Speaking on behalf of her son, Shabnam Singh, thanked everyone for the “support” and assured Yuvraj was “fully fit.” According to Shabnam, he would look to resuming light training in a fortnight from now and was scheduled to visit his doctor in the U.S. after three months.

Elsewhere, the star cricketer's father, former Test fast bowler Yograj Singh, requested everyone to allow his son to settle down. He pleaded with the fans and the media not to “pressure” him for an early return to the cricket field. “He needs to recover fully. I know him well. He is a fighter and will come back to cricket strongly.”

His team-mates had been in touch with Anil Kumble visiting him in the hospital in the U.S. and Sachin Tendulkar spending time in London.

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