Published: Nov 03, 2015, 03:31 PM (IST)
Edited: Nov 03, 2015, 03:35 PM (IST)
Dear Yograj Singh,
You are a former cricketer, who also played in the national side and your son — Yuvraj Singh has brought the country many laurels. Your role in shaping him up is also highly appreciated. Googling your name, your player profile for ESPNCricinfo also doesn’t appear in the top-five searches. And appears ahead of them are your ridiculous rants or fun poked at you. The fact that you were a cricketer has to be reminded to today’s generation who probably remember you as Yuvraj’s strict father and the guy who played Mikha Singh’s coach in the latter’s biopic.
And of course now you have made a name for yourself for your cheap publicity stunts with your needless outbursts on great cricketers. You not only harm your reputation but also have become a subject of your son’s embarrassment. Why on earth as a parent you would do that?
Who are you? Not even a forgotten name but a source of entertainment for media houses that constantly are craving for soaring TRPs and that’s it. You played in the era of the great Kapil Dev and even stated that he played a role in limiting your international career; and now your attack on Kapil only comes across as an opportunist pouncing on the prey to settle personal scores. (Note: I am not even comparing you to Kapil, how can you compare 131 Tests to 30 First-Class games?) Kapil has played enough to have an opinion on any cricketing subject and mind you he was also chosen as the Indian Cricketer of the 20th Century, ahead of Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar (whose career was half-way through); and your recent comments on Kapil have made me write this open letter. Also Read: Yograj Singh lashes out at Kapil Dev for his comments on Sachin Tendulkar
You said that, “Kapil is an opportunist and he is jealous of Sachin Tendulkar’s popularity. He should have thought at least 100 times before saying it. This is totally a childish behaviour by him and no other cricketer will agree with him.”
If Kapil is an opportunist then what are you? Before moving on let me bring this into your knowledge that prior to commenting anything on Tendulkar, Kapil had already cleared that he has no intention to hurt anyone’s feelings and it was just his personal view by saying, “Don’t get me wrong, but I think Sachin didn’t do justice to his talent. I always thought he could have done much more than what he did.”
Maybe he said that because he rated Tendulkar higher and wanted him to excel more. Even Kumar Sangakkara’s father felt that his son could have done more. As a father and mentor to Yuvraj, I expect you to understand the same. Again, throwing light to the opportunist point, Kapil is one of those names, not only in India but also in the cricketing world that his words go on to make the headline.
Kapil can have his views just like Tendulkar did when he openly wrote about the former’s coaching in his autobiography. I may endorse them or not but that’s not the point here but you have have made a habit of seeking cheap publicity. You further stated, “Today Kapil is a closed chapter. No one likes to talk about a person like him and this is why, he is making such statement in media about Tendulkar, so that he can be in the headlines. Kapil is history and Sachin is present and future of Indian cricket.”
Earlier this year, your outbursts on MS Dhoni didn’t earn him any detractors but spoke highly about your mental state. It’s shame when you used statement like, “There will be a day when he will be left to beg and become penniless and would not get any favour.” Also Read: Yograj Singh lashes out at MS Dhoni; accuses him of dropping son Yuvraj Singh for personal reasons
And now I would like to question you, who is trying to be in headline, you or Kapil? Like you have opinions, I too do. You are nothing but an average cricketer, average actor, a citizen who often found himself on the wrong side of the law, a failed parent and husband, who openly spoke against his ex-wife and Yuvraj’s mother, and someone who encashes his son’s name for fame. And I feel sorry to see an ex-cricketer in such state.
Kapil is a hero and India’s first World Cup winning captain, which brought the turning point in Indian cricket. So, before speaking rot, start implementing things with yourself and think at least 10,000 times before you speak and if thinking isn’t your forte then please don’t say anything. And last but not the least, today you are nothing but a closed chapter, which anyways had no beginning. One final advice will be to stop this trend of speaking garbage and go for a check up. Get well soon!
(Abhishek Kumar is a cricket devotee currently staffing with Criclife.com. He can be followed at abhicricket.kumar and abhishekkr2593)
