Former Indian all-rounder, Yuvraj Singh was the player of the tournament as India became the ODI World champions after a gap of 28 years in 2011. What turned his performance into the stuff of legends was when it was revealed Yuvraj was fighting a lone battle with cancer during the grueling tournament. Now 12 years after the iconic moment when MS Dhoni struck that six in the final of the world cup at Wankhede Stadium to seal India’s historic win, Harbhajan Singh has recalled how the teammates who were unaware of Yuvraj’s condition made fun of him since he used to consistently cough.

During a chat on Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh said, “Yuvraj was unwell and he used to face anxiety before matches. Even while batting he used to cough, and sometimes puke. I used to ask him ‘why do you cough so much? Look at your age and what are you doing!’ But we didn’t know what he was going through, and he played the World Cup during that illness.”

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He further added, “Later he found out those were signs of cancer. But then we were making fun of him as we were not aware of the situation, but hats off to the champion.”

Four years before his ODI world cup heroics, Yuvraj Singh garnered a lot of limelight in India’s World T20 triumph in South Africa. His six sixes in an over of England’s Stuart Broad, a blazing 30-ball 70 against Australia in the semifinals are one of the greatest performances in the history of the tournament.

“Not once but twice he helped us win the World Cup,” said Harbhajan referring to India’s title win at the inaugural ICC World T20 in 2007.

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Harbhajan Singh even claimed that if Yuvraj wasn’t been part of the 2011 ODI World Cup squad India wouldn’t have won the coveted trophy. 

Explaining it further, Harbhajan Singh said, “I feel India wouldn’t have won the World Cup in 2011 if Yuvraj Singh wasn’t there. A player like Yuvraj was not there in the past, or now as they are one of a kind.”