Yuvraj Singh Was Almost Dropped For 2011 World Cup, Says Gary Kirsten. Here's What MS Dhoni Said
"Thank goodness we picked him because it was flipping close, he was. It was not a slam-dunk selection. The selectors kind of debated around the 15 players," Kirsten told Rediff.com.
Kirsten revealed that he and the then India captain Dhoni both were keen to have the all-rounder in the team.
"I was very keen to have him in the team as was Dhoni, because of the experience that he brought to the group. And look at the World Cup he ended up having," the ex-India coach said.
"I was always very fond of Yuvraj. We had this kind of great relationship where like, he used to frustrate the hell out of me sometimes, but I just loved him. He was good. I just want him to be scoring runs all the time because when I watch him bat, it's just like amazing to watch," he added.
Kirsten also said that Paddy Upton, then India's mental conditioning and strategic leadership coach, too played a role in helping Yuvraj reach his best.
"But there was a journey he had to walk and credit to Paddy (Upton). Paddy did a lot of work with Yuvi to get him ready for that World Cup. Yuvi himself made some key decisions around getting himself prepared and ready for the World Cup," Kirsten said.
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