‘Tu chinta na kar’: Yuvraj Singh told Reetinder Sodhi before hitting 5 sixes against Australia

Days prior to the final, I was witness to Yuvraj Singh’s hard hitting knock of 56 runs against Australia in the semi-final. We saw balls hitting the tin roof and the thunderous sound of his bat. It was years before his Champions Trophy debut and that was the first time Yuvi showed his arrival to the cricketing world. That’s what the U19 World Cup taught us: To dream and not to fear.

When we won the U15 Lombards Cup, the final was against Pakistan, a team that had Shoaib Malik, Faisal Iqbal Taufeeq Umar, Hasan Raza, Bazid Khan, Yasir Arafat, Kamran Akmal. They all went on to for the Pakistan senior side. The Lords’ crowd went berserk celebrating our win. When we returned to India, we were hosted by president Shankar Dayal Sharma, PM HD Devegowda and Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma. We were young boys and to experience all of this was like a dream for us.

I also played in the 1998 U19 World Cup in South Africa, where Amit Pagnis was the captain. We could not advance to the semis but playing along with my long-time junior team-mates Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Laxmi Ratan Shukla forged the basis of our life-time friendship as well as camaraderie.

I remember prior to the U19 World Cup team announcement, there was a lot of healthy competition between me and Mohammad Kaif about who would be made the captain. Kaif was made the captain and I was made the vice-captain. When we won the U15 World Cup, a magazine had printed my picture with the winning trophy on their cover and when we won the U19 World Cup, the same magazine printed Kaif’s picture with the winning trophy on their cover page. We share those pictures even now and remember all the good times spent.

Reetinder SIngh Sodhi, Ravneet Ricky and Yuvraj Singh post the U19 World Cup title win at Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Special Arrangement)

Our coach for the U19 World Cup was 1983 World Cup winner Roger Binny sir. During the practice camps and training, he would be a man of few words and more of a man of action. I remember, I suffered a finger injury during the Super League match against Nepal.

Prior to the Super League match against England, Roger sir made me undergo batting as well fielding drills to check my fitness and I was telling him I am raring to go. After one practice session, he did a handshake with me and pressed my finger with some force. He was just checking whether I was under any pain or stress as he did not want to take any risk about my injury for that one match.

My finger was 90 percent right and when I felt the pain, I did not show and pretended that I didn’t have any pain. Prior to the Super League match against Sri Lanka, I was suffering from high fever the night before the match. Yuvraj Singh was my room-mate and he kept encouraging me that I have to play.

I would take medicines and Roger sir would met me in the stadium and tell me that the match is very important and give me confidence saying, “Sodhi, it’s an important match and you have to play”. I scored 74 runs and took two wickets in that match and would later have a conversation with Roger sir on how he showed faith in me.

We played Australia in the semifinal, a side coached by the great Rodney Marsh and having players like Shane Watson, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Nathan Hauritz and Mitchell Johnson.

At one time, India looked set for a total in the range of 240-250 before Yuvraj Singh arrived at the crease with 7.1 overs to go. Yuvi would hit five sixes and five boundaries during his knock of 58 runs propelling our total of 284 and we won the match by 170 runs with Anup Dave taking three wickets.

I remember Yuvi telling me in the dug-out since he is there, even I can hit the ball. “Tu Chinta na kar (Don’t you worry)”. And what a knock he played. Post the match, Rodney Marsh sir also patted his back. Those sixes were some of the longest sixes I had seen in my career.

We were confident ahead of the final but we also knew that Sri Lanka were playing at home. On the eve of the match, Yuvraj, Kaif and I would have a conversation in the hotel room and we told each other that this chance will not come again.

Sri Lanka batted first and could only make 178. I gave away 26 runs in ten overs and I remember Kaif made me bowl all those ten overs at a stretch. Kaif too bowled for ten overs and took one wicket for 31 runs. Normally he did not bowl much but the way he took the responsibility was commendable. We were looking good but with Yuvi and Kaif departing, we were 116 at 4. I along with Niraj Patel made sure that we win the U19 World Cup and when we won the title, we all celebrated like kids. We were kids only (Laughs).

Reetinder Singh Sodhi in his junior days. (Special Arrangement)

Straight after the World Cup win, six of us, Mohammed Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, Anup Dave, Ajay Ratra, Venugopal Rao and I got selected for the Senior Challenger Trophy and some of us would later play for India. I remember, at one point, Yuvraj Singh was fielding for India at point, me at cover and Mohammed Kaif at mid-off for India in international matches.

That’s the biggest takeaway for us as junior cricketers. Over the years, it has also resulted in a life-time bond between all of us. At junior zonal level, I played along with the likes of Ashish Nehra, Akash Chopra, Joginder Sharma too apart from others at the junior and international level for long. Thick and thin, we are always there for each other.

And those bonds also mean that we bring out the laughter as well as support. In the 1998 U19 World Cup, I got run out against Pakistan and Bhajju (Harbhajan Singh) would taunt me, ‘Oh Sodhi, kithe bhaj chalya si (Where were you running?)’.

Years later, when injuries would curtail my international career, Bhajju would often call me to support. “You don’t compare or see me or Yuvi. Rab da shukar kar ki rab ne tainu India khilaya (Thank god that he made you play for India). There are many, who don’t get the chance,” He would tell me.

For Vaibhav Suryavanshi and the team, I see the U19 World Cup to show the world that they belong to the international level and like in the past, many of them can play for India for years to come and stamp their authority. Playing for India at senior level and winning World Cups remains the pinnacle.

 Reetinder Sodhi was the captain of U15 1996 Lombards World Cup and vice-captain of 2000 U19 World Cup winning Indian team and played 18 ODIs for India. Sodhi spoke with Nitin Sharma