'Told Gill I Played World Cup With Cancer' - Yuvraj Singh

image-lnn5xqrjShubman has been in good nick (AP Photo)

Yuvraj Singh revealed trying to inspire Shubman Gill as the youngster strived to regain full recovery from dengue to get his World Cup 2023 campaign off the mark. Singh, India's 2011 match-winner, reminded the prodigious Indian opener how he bore excruciating pain to play the quadrennial event at home while battling cancer 12 years back. 

Speaking to ANI, the swashbuckling former India middle-order giant said he contacted Gill when he was hospitalised with sickness following a major platelet drop and tried to cheer him up amidst the bitter disappointment of missing the start of the marquee competition. 

Gill, who was bedridden before being carefully monitored by medical authorities in Chennai, was thankfully approved to travel to Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 12) afternoon and underwent a lengthy training session under the supervision of the team physios and the management led by Rahul Dravid. 

The elegant right-hander could remain sidelined from the playing XI for the high-voltage Pakistan encounter on Saturday. However, Yuvraj in his unmatched swag mentioned how he has strengthened Gill's resolve and toughened him to battle physical strain for the remainder of India's campaign.


'I Have Strengthened Shubham Gill' - Yuvraj Singh

Gill may have missed the first two games of the tournament against Australia and Afghanistan and could be ruled out of the Pakistan encounter too unless he makes a miraculously quick recovery, but Yuvraj expects the Indian batting gem to come out firing and unleash his wrath in the following matches. 

With the World Cup glory at stake, Gill would need no bigger motivation than Yuvraj's own fairytale run at the 2011 event where he battled immense fatigue and health issues to produce a campaign for the ages. The left-hander hammered 362 runs and took 15 wickets in the competition. 

"Shubham Gill ko maine tagda kar diya hai [I have strengthened Shubham Gill]. I told him that I had played in the World Cup while battling cancer, so I got ready quickly to join the team," Yuvraj said. 

"Hopefully, he will be ready for the India vs Pakistan game. When you have a fever and dengue it is really tough to play a cricket match and I have experienced that. So I hope that if he is fit then he will definitely play," he added.