Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has said that he and MS Dhoni were never close friends and he further added that their friendship was limited to cricket only. At the same time, he also added that both of them gave their all for India as well. While Yuvraj Singh was the Player of the Tournament when India lifted the ODI World Cup in 2011 under MS Dhoni’s leadership, he was also a key player of the Dhoni-led side that lifted the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007. Over the years, there have been speculations over the camaraderie between them but in a chat on the TRS show, as quoted by ndtv.com, Yuvraj candidly admitted that he and Dhoni are not the best of friends.

“Me and Mahi are not close friends. We were friends because of cricket, we played together. Mahi’s lifestyle was very different from me, so we were never close friends, we were only friends because of cricket. When me and Mahi went on the ground, we gave more than 100% to our country. In that, he was captain, I was vice-captain. When I came into the team, I was 4 years junior. When you are captain and vice-captain, there will be decision differences. Sometimes he made decisions I didn’t like, sometimes I made decisions he didn’t like. That happens in every team. When I was at the end of my career, when I wasn’t getting the right picture about my career, I asked him for advice. He was the guy who told me that the selection committee is not looking you right now. I was like, at least I got to know the real picture. This is just before 2019 World Cup. That is the reality,” the former cricketer stated.
The veteran all-rounder Yuvraj Singh played 40 Tests, 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is for Team India and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest white-ball players ever as well. During the same interaction, Yuvraj also shared the fact that teammates do not have to be best friends always as everyone has a different personality as well. He also stated that what matters most is giving your best on the field for your country as well.
“Your teammates don’t have to be your best friends outside the field. Everybody has a different lifestyle, skill set. Certain people hang out with certain people, you don’t have to be best friends with everyone to go on the field. If you take any team, all eleven don’t get along. Some do, some don’t. When you are in the park, put your ego behind you and contribute on the field,” Yuvraj again shared.

However, giving an example of his on-field bonding with MS Dhoni, the former all-rounder recalled: “There were times when MS was injured, I was a runner for him. I remember there was one moment when he was in 90s, I wanted to give him the strike to help him reach his 100. I remember diving for him, for his second run, as he was in 90s. When I was batting in a World Cup match, I was 48 against the Netherlands. There were 2 runs to get and Mahi blocked both the balls so that I get 50,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Yuvraj Singh also shed light on MS Dhoni’s decision to promote himself in the 2011 World Cup final. He explained that if Gautam Gambhir (left-hander) had got out, he would have gone into bat but Virat Kohli (right-hander) got out, so Dhoni went in as well.Dhoni played 90 Tests, 350 ODIs and 98 T20Is, retiring from international cricket in August 2020 as well.
“In the World Cup final it was decided if Gauti (Gautam Gambhir) gets out, I’ll go, if Virat gets out, Dhoni goes. That thing is more important than friendship,” Yuvraj said.”He is retired, I am retired. When we meet, we meet like friends only, not like ‘I don’t want to get to know you’. We shot an ad together too, and had fun talking about our past days,” the former India cricket concluded.