Published: Oct 15, 2012, 12:50 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 15, 2012, 12:50 PM (IST)
Yuvraj Singh scored 208 off 241 balls, smashing 33 boundaries and three sixes © Getty Images
Hyderabad: Oct 15, 2012
Yuvraj Singh smashed a double century on day two of the Duleep Trophy semi-final match against Central Zone in Hyderabad on Monday.
Yuvraj made a brilliant comeback into first-class arena as he scored 208 off 241 balls for North Zone on the first day.
North Zone ended their first innings at 451 runs, Yuvraj and Shikhar Dhawan being the top two scorers.
Earlier, at stumps, North were in commanding position having scored 346 for 4, riding on Yuvraj’s superb unbeaten 133 while skipper Dhawan also made his presence felt with an innings of 121.
The innings today will certainly end any doubts whatsoever about Yuvraj’s fitness and his ability to withstand the rigours of longer version of the game after recovering from rare germ cell cancer.
He played only 152 deliveries during his knock and hit 20 boundaries and two huge sixes off discarded India veteran Murali Kartik.
Both sixes were sent soaring over deep mid-wicket and the second one saw the talented left-hander reach three-figure mark. This is Yuvraj’s 19th first-class century but certainly one he would remember for a long time to come.
There were no demons in the 22-yard strip at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Uppal and Yuvraj didn’t for once looked like in any sort of trouble as he kept on punishing the Central bowlers.
Such was Yuvraj’s dominance that he came to bat only in the 53rd over of the innings which was well after lunch but took on the bowlers from the very beginning.
Yuvraj’s innings can give Sandeep Patil and Co another option in the Indian Test team’s middle-order. With his handy left-arm spin to complement his elegant batting, the day might not be far when Yuvraj might be seen playing Test matches where he badly wants to make a mark.
At least today’s innings was an indicator of what can be expected from this enormously gifted cricketer.
