Had the team management supported me, I could've played another WC: Yuvraj Singh
New Delhi, Sep 27: Former India batsman Yuvraj Singh has claimed that the team management let him down towards the fag end of his international career and he could have played another World Cup after the 2011 heroics if he had enough backing.
"(I) Regret that I couldn't play another World Cup after 2011. There was hardly any support from the team management or people around. If that support was there then maybe I would have played another World Cup," Yuvraj told 'Aaj Tak' channel.
"But whatever cricket I played it's on my own. I never had any godfather."
Yuvraj, who retired from the game earlier this year, reiterated that he was ignored despite clearing the mandatory yo-yo test for fitness.
He said instead of just trying to find ways to get rid of him, the team management should have been "upfront" in their communication regarding his career.
"I never thought that I would be dropped after being the man-of-the-match in 2 games out of the 8-9 I played after the 2017 Champions Trophy. I got injured and I was told to prepare for the Sri Lanka series," the left-hander recalled.
"Suddenly I had to go back and prepare for the yo-yo test at the age of 36. Even after I cleared the yo-yo test, I was told to play domestic cricket. They actually thought that I wouldn't be able to clear the test due to my age. And that it would be easy to decline me afterwards.
"I think it was unfortunate because a guy who played international cricket for 15-16 years, you need to sit and tell him upfront. No one told me and no one told Virender Sehwag or Zaheer Khan either," added Yuvraj.
Despite the feeling of being letdown, Yuvraj said he has no regrets about quitting the game and feels his retirement timing was right.
"There were plenty of things on my mind. I felt that the World Cup has started, the team has moved forward. I wanted to play some cricket out of India. Life was not going forward, it was stressful.
"I was just wondering when to retire. I got married a few years before so I wanted to focus on my life. The end of my career became a bit of burden for me," he said.
"If I wanted to play a league outside India then I had to retire and I thought it was the perfect time. Things were not going in the right direction so I thought it was the perfect time for younger guys to take the team forward and for me to hang my boots," he added.
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US lawmakers seek clarity over financial burden, human cost, endgame in Iran conflict
Washington: Tensions rose at the US Capitol on Tuesday as lawmakers sought clearer answers from the Trump administration on the objectives, duration and costs of the ongoing military campaign against Iran, even as preparations advanced for votes aimed at curbing the president’s war powers.
Senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, briefed members of the House and Senate for a second consecutive day behind closed doors, as reported by the Associated Press. The sessions came ahead of votes on war powers resolutions that would limit President Donald Trump’s authority to continue joint US-Israel operations without congressional approval.
Rubio told reporters that the president acted to prevent Iran from striking first. He rejected suggestions that Washington moved only because Israel was poised to launch its own offensive, saying instead that Trump believed the weekend presented a rare opportunity to act with maximum impact. “There is no way in the world that this terroristic regime was going to get nuclear weapons, not under Donald Trump’s watch,” Rubio said.
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The conflict has widened following US and Israeli airstrikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched missile attacks targeting US military bases in the region. At least six American service personnel have died so far.
The administration has indicated that supplemental funding may be required to sustain operations. It added that the concerns among lawmakers about the financial burden and potential for a prolonged engagement has disrupted legislative business, sharpening political divisions at the start of a competitive midterm election cycle.
Associated Press cited Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s concerns about what he described as possible “mission creep.” Senator Angus King questioned whether the United States had been drawn into war at Israel’s urging, while Senator Elizabeth Warren asked how the campaign aligned with Trump’s “America First” pledge to avoid extended foreign conflicts.
Defence official Elbridge Colby told senators the president had directed the military to degrade Iran’s missile capabilities and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, stressing that the objective was not nation-building. Trump, speaking separately from the Oval Office, dismissed claims that Israel had forced his decision and suggested the conflict could continue if necessary. He has not ruled out deploying US ground troops.
Senator Richard Blumenthal was quoted by Associated Press as saying that he feared the possibility of American boots on the ground while Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin defended the operation, saying the president had acted decisively.
Uncertainty over Iran’s future leadership has added to concerns, with questions mounting about who might succeed Khamenei as Trump rejected the idea of backing Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran’s former monarchy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the future of Iran should be determined by its people and House Speaker Mike Johnson said the United States would not engage in nation-building.
Lawmakers from both parties also reported a surge in calls from constituents seeking assistance for Americans attempting to leave the region as hostilities intensify.
The US Constitution grants Congress the right to declare war, however presidents have routinely begun military activities without formal declarations. Both houses are anticipated to vote on proposals that would require explicit congressional approval to continue operations. Some members have also argued that if constraints are not imposed, Congress should consider issuing an Authorization for the Use of Military Force to put lawmakers on the record.
Associated Press quoted House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioning the rationale for the campaign and saying there would be strong support among Democrats for the resolution. Johnson, however, warned that restricting the president during active combat could pose risks.
